KUALA LUMPUR: Canada is looking for to finalise a free commerce take care of Southeast Asian nations as a part of a push to increase into new markets, its prime diplomat mentioned, responding to the hefty tariffs imposed on it by the US, its neighbour and largest commerce accomplice.
International Minister Anita Anand mentioned Canada intends to proceed a mutilateral commerce relationship with the 10-member Affiliation of Southeast Asian Nations. Canada believes the worldwide financial system shall be pushed by the Indo-Pacific area within the years forward, she added.
“The work is being achieved with alacrity to finalise the textual content of the free commerce settlement,” Anand advised Reuters in an interview, following her assembly with counterparts from the ASEAN bloc within the Malaysian capital.
“It’s advanced however we’re very a lot trying ahead to it being accomplished as quickly as potential,” she mentioned, with out offering additional particulars.
Anand mentioned the ASEAN-Canada FTA is without doubt one of the methods Canada can diversify its commerce relations past the Group of Seven nations.
Past commerce, Canada will even work with ASEAN on vitality, meals safety, digital financial system and synthetic intelligence, she added.
Canadian corporations are boosting commerce with allies aside from the US, and with smaller markets, as they attempt to minimise the financial harm from President Donald Trump’s tariffs, authorities information has proven.
