Upgraded free trade area to broaden fields of China-ASEAN cooperation: officials

Senior officials and business leaders from ASEAN countries have emphasized that the upgrading of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA) will broaden the areas of cooperation between the two sides, from traditional areas like agriculture to emerging fields like new energy and biotechnology.

China and ASEAN, or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, announced on Thursday the substantial conclusion of negotiations to upgrade the China-ASEAN FTA to Version 3.0.

The construction of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area was completed in 2010, and Version 3.0 FTA negotiations began in November 2022.

The upgraded FTA covers nine areas, including both existing areas of the China-ASEAN free trade agreement and emerging areas with huge potential for cooperation between the two sides, much to the delight of Southeast Asian businesses.

"The Version 3.0 China-ASEAN FTA and the new [western] land-sea corridor will further deepen the economic cooperation between China and Malaysia. In addition to the existing areas of cooperation, I believe we can achieve more cooperation in biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and new energy technology education," said Looi Hei Tyng, vice president of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM).

Under the upgrade, the FTA will incorporate rules in emerging fields such as digital economy, green economy, and supply chain, setting a new benchmark for regional economic and trade rules.

The improvement of these fields will help the sustainable development of the regional economy, enhance the connectivity and resilience of the supply chain, and support the digital transformation of China and ASEAN, according to ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn.

"Digital economy is important. We have to look at all of the new areas, including the green and blue economy sectors, these are also growing. We have to look at what more could be done, particularly in the agricultural sector. We hope China will continue to import more from ASEAN," he said.

Upgraded free trade area to broaden fields of China-ASEAN cooperation: officials

More than 4,500 people have been forced to evacuate their homes by a massive forest fire in Japan, which broke out in the northeastern coastal city of Ofunato on February 26.

As of Tuesday, the area affected by the fire in Ofunato of Iwate Prefecture has expanded to approximately 2,900 hectares, accounting for 9 percent of the city's total area.

Local authorities have established multiple evacuation shelters as part of the fire relief efforts. As the fire continues to spread, evacuation zones are also expanding, with many residents forced to move to temporary shelters quickly.

At one of the shelters closest to the forest fire, there were about 300 evacuees, and the place was basically at full capacity, while the number of evacuees keep going up. "I live in Akasaki town, and received evacuation instructions last Thursday [February 27]. Then I came here that evening and spent the night. It's the first time I've seen such a large forest fire. It's truly difficult for those whose homes have been burned down," said an evacuee.

Ofunato City has experienced two fires since February. Data shows that the rainfall in February has been less than 10 percent of the average levels in previous years.

The coastal areas of southern Iwate Prefecture have been under a continuous dry weather alert since February 18. The ongoing dry conditions have exacerbated the spread of the fire.

"This is the largest forest fire Japan has seen in recent years, and we have never experienced such a large fire before. Although Ofunato City is making every effort to respond, the situation remains difficult to control, and the fire continues to spread, resulting in an increasing number of evacuees," a local official named Sasaki Hirohisa said.

Number of evacuees keeps rising amid raging forest fire in Japan