Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore, H.E. Gan Kim Yong, at the sidelines of the 32^nd AEM Retreat, in Taguig, the Philippines. They discussed a wide range of topics under the ASEAN Economic Community, including Singapore’s preparations for its upcoming ASEAN Chairmanship in 2027, progress of negotiations for the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), external economic relations, sustainability initiatives, and the current global geo-economic situation. Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing ASEAN’s economic integration agenda and looked forward to continued close cooperation in the lead-up to Singapore’s Chairmanship.