DTI says ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting a success

MANILA — Philippine Trade Secretary Cristina Roque on Tuesday said the 58th ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Meeting and Related Meetings were a success, with the Philippines’ priority economic deliverables discussed.

Roque, who chairs AEM 2026, said one of the biggest outcomes of the meetings was the conclusion of talks on the Digital Economic Framework Agreement (DEFA) which is expected to be signed in November. DEFA is the world’s first region-wide agreement on the digital economy, aiming to pave the way for greater digital integration in ASEAN.

“This is very important for us because this will connect now the entire ASEAN in the digital space, digital trade, so AI is included here,” Roque said at the post-AEM meeting media briefing.

DEFA is one of the priority economic deliverables of the Philippines as chair of ASEAN 2026. This covers issues on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, e-commerce, digital payments, and more.

Another topic discussed was the push for the semiconductor roadmap in the region. The region is one of the biggest semiconductor sites in the world and the Philippines hope to advance a roadmap to help the industry expand further.

“In terms strategic industrial initiatives, we advanced the ASEAN semiconductor roadmap which establishes clear regional investment rules, fosters talent and innovation hubs, and secures critical supply chain to make ASEAN a primary destination for global semiconductor investments,” Roque added.

Over a dozen meetings and consultations were also held between ASEAN and several countries like Russia, Canada, India, United Kingdom, United States, and more. Meetings also focused on increasing trade among ASEAN member states, improving consumer protection and intellectual property, among others.

Outcomes from these various meetings will be collated and will also be included in discussions at the upcoming ASEAN Summit in November which will be attended by various world leaders.