ASEAN and the Pacific Alliance, a regional bloc comprising Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, met at the ASEAN Secretariat head quarters in Jakarta on 25 May to enhance cooperation between the two regional organisations.

The two organisations discussed a broad range of issues, including current developments in Southeast Asia and Latin America.

The pair spoke highly of the potential benefits of forging economic ties and agreed to explore cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, agriculture, energy, logistics, small and medium enterprises, financial services and tourism. The two groups also agreed to explore other areas such as education, culture, and sports.

The Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR) and the Ambassadors of the Pacific Alliance exchanged views on the structure and work process of their respective organisations.

The CPR congratulated the Pacific Alliance on their remarkable achievements in terms of regional integration since its establishment four years ago and expressed its appreciation for the alliance’s interest in learning about ASEAN's experiences in regional integration and community-building.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-VNA