MoU ON ASEAN-CHINA CONSULTATION MECHANISM FINALISED

KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 (Bernama)-- A draft of the memorandum of
understanding (MoU) on Asean-China Consultation Mechanism, to be signed during the 29th Senior Transportation Officers Meeting, has been finalised at the Asean Maritime Transport Working Group Meeting (MTWG) which ended Thursday.

Malaysia hosted the MTWG, which started on April 20, as it is an important
platform for member countries to increase cooperation on the development of
maritime transport together with Asean dialogue partners on issues that affected
the region's maritime industry.

The Transport Ministry, in a statement Thursday, said the MTWG would continue
negotiations to finalise other matters regarding the Asean Economic Community on
Blueprint, Asean Strategic Transport Plan and other programmes identified under
the Asean Roadmap Towards An Integrated Competitive Maritime in Asean.

The meeting was attended by 10 Asean member countries, dialogue partners from
China, Japan and Korea, as well as several associations such as the Asean Ports
Association (APA), Asean Federation Forwarders Association (AFFA), Federation of
Asean Shipowners Association (FASA) and the International Maritime Organization
(IMO) as observers.

Asean is made up of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
-- BERNAMA