Europe Asia News

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said during his visit to the Philippines, the first stop of his Southeast Asia mission, that the region is a true engine of the global economy, emphasizing that Europe should play a more active role there in areas such as trade, technology and defense.

Assessing the starting point of his visit and the region's economic potential, Prevot said, "This region is a true driving force of the global economy, with an expected growth rate of 5 percent in 2026. And the vast majority of ASEAN countries are strong advocates of a rules-based international order."

Pointing out that ASEAN should occupy a central place in Europe's strategy to diversify its global partnerships, Minister Prevot said, "As part of our partnership diversification strategy, we must be more active there so that the region can become an even stronger partner for Europe in multilateralism and in key areas such as trade, technology, energy, maritime affairs, defense and critical minerals."