The UK’s Senior Economic Official to ASEAN, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for Asia Pacific Martin Kent, visited Vientiane, Laos to demonstrate the UK’s continued and deepening economic commitment to ASEAN.

On 28th June 2024, Ambassador Teodoro Locsin Jr. welcomed Mr Ian Gibbons, Chief Executive of the UK-ASEAN Business Council (UKABC), to the Philippine Embassy in London. Their meeting focused on enhancing the Philippines-UK bilateral relationship, particularly through bolstering two-way trade and investment. Ambassador Locsin extended an invitation to British businesses, encouraging them to invest in one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia.

Malaysia’s Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) hosted an informative and interactive tech industry roundtable to discuss investment opportunities in Malaysia.

Ian Gibbons, Chief Executive Officer of the UK-ASEAN Business Council (UKABC), recently returned from a trip to Singapore encouraged by positive insights on the region's economic landscape. In a LinkedIn post, Ian highlighted the talent and dynamism of Singapore and the broader ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region and emphasised UKABC's engagement with key organisations including The ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) to drive economic growth and investment opportunities.

Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch formally signed the treaty confirming the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) – the Indo-Pacific trade bloc now worth £12 trillion in GDP – in New Zealand today [Sunday 16th].