Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said here Saturday the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has brought "immense practical benefits" to its people.[Special coverage]
Addressing the opening ceremony of the 27th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, Najib said in the economic front, the bloc has made a direct financial difference to hundreds of millions.
In the trade sector, the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) has reduced tariffs to zero or near zero, said the prime minster, whose country takes on the bloc's rotating chair this year.
With ASEAN, the people in the region have witnessed lower unemployment rate, enjoyed visa-free travel through nine out of the 10 member states and found it more easier to work in each other's countries, Najib noted.
With further liberation, integration in the region and the measures implemented under the ASEAN Economic Community, the overall GDP in the region will be raised by 7 percent by 2025, he added.
The two-day 27th ASEAN Summit is held with the theme "Our People, Our Community, Our vision".
Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. It aimes to accelerate economic growth, social progress and socio-cultural evolution among its members.
