ASEAN records impressive economic, trade and FDI growth

ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Economic Community, Pushpanathan Sundram, is optimistic about ASEAN as an engine for growing economic integration.

“ASEAN recorded impressive economic growth of 7.4% in 2010 against a world average of 5%. ASEAN is also expected to grow 5.5% this year and 5.7% in 2012,” he told the recent ASEAN and Asian Forum in Singapore. “The total trade of ASEAN countries surged to $2.09 trillion in 2010, a huge jump from $1.54 trillion in 2009.”

In 2010, he said, ASEAN received a record $75.08 billion in FDI, also a big leap from $37.9 billion in 2009.