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The UK finalises Dialogue Partner status with ASEAN
The UK has agreed on a new partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN ).
The partnership , which is the first ASEAN has agreed in 25 years , will lead to closer cooperation between the UK and the region on a range of issues such as trade , investment , climate change , the environment , science and technology , and education . Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab joined a virtual ceremony with ASEAN Foreign Ministers where they welcomed the UK as an ASEAN ‘ Dialogue Partner ’.
Since the UK submitted its application to become a Dialogue Partner in June 2020 , the Foreign Secretary has attended two UK-ASEAN Ministerial Meetings and hosted the ASEAN Chair at the G7 Foreign & Development Ministers meeting in May .
ASEAN is an influential group of ten member countries in the Indo-Pacific . The other ASEAN Dialogue Partners are Australia , Canada , China , the European Union , India , Japan , the Republic of Korea , New Zealand , Russia and the United States of America . By becoming a Dialogue Partner the UK will formalise its relations with the group - including through attending annual Foreign and Economic Ministers meetings along with other Ministerial engagements .
Dialogue Partner status puts the UK at the heart of the Indo-Pacific . The UK will work with ASEAN and its members on key shared challenges such as maritime security and transnational crime , boost our economies through trade , and strengthen our cooperation on issues such COVID-19 and climate change .
British High Commissioner to Singapore , Kara Owen , said :
" Being a Dialogue Partner is really important for the UK and ASEAN , and we have much we can accomplish together . So today is momentous .
Our partnership with Singapore and the issues we work on together are integral to how we are strengthening our ties with the region , from trade and investment , to tackling the economic and health challenges of Covid-19 , fighting climate change , and protecting Southeast Asia ’ s rich biodiversity .
I thank Singapore , its Ministers and officials , for their strong support of our engagement with ASEAN , especially as we progressed our Dialogue Partnership application ."
UK Board of Trade release Green Trade report
The UK ' s new Green Trade report outlines the role free trade and free-market can play in accelerating the global transition to a low-carbon economy , challenging green protectionism .
The report , the second released by the Board of Trade , shows how free markets are critical to tackling climate change , enabling the free flow of information and proliferation of green technology , challenging the narrative that free trade is a threat to the environment . It also addresses green protectionism , whereby environmental aims are used as a cover to enact damaging protectionist policies .
It recommends the UK leverages its trade agenda to speed up the global green transition by :
• promoting the UK ’ s green exports and technology overseas
• using the UK ’ s independent trade policy to reduce barriers to green trade and tackle environmentally damaging market distortions – such as industrial subsidies
• attracting foreign investment to build the UK ’ s green industrial base
The Board demonstrates how green trade presents a major economic opportunity for Britain that will drive high-value jobs and sustainable growth into every part of the country . The report encourages the UK to champion free trade and bring together the trade and climate agendas on the global stage .
Experts predict the UK ’ s low-carbon economy could grow by 11 % per year between 2015 and 2030 – four times faster than the rest of the economy – delivering between £ 60 billion and £ 170 billion of export sales in goods and services by 2030 . By 2050 , there could be more than 1.2 million full time workers directly employed in England ’ s low carbon industries . NEWS