At the 2012 United States–ASEAN Leaders Meeting in Cambodia, President Barack Obama and leaders from the 10 members of ASEANlaunched the US–ASEAN Expanded Economic Engagement (E3) initiative. This is a new framework for economic cooperation designed to facilitate commerce between the United States and ASEAN and another signal of America’s economic pivot towards Asia.

A senior official of the Japan Restoration Party said Sunday the new party will include in its policy pledges for next month's general election the need for Japan to join negotiations for a multilateral free trade accord and a proposed amendment to the Constitution.

On November 20, during the Association of Southeast Asian Nation meetings held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the Chinese, Japanese and South Korean economic and trade ministers announced the launch of trilateral free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations.

KIEV, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) — Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov Wednesday urged to speed up Free Trade Area (FTA) negotiations with Vietnam. "I set the task to prepare as soon as possible an agreement on free trade zone for signing. Such a deal opens obviously a lot of advantages for Ukraine," Azarov said while opening a government meeting here.

Nov 22 (Reuters) - Mexico will likely ask the World Trade Organization to settle a dispute with China over government aid to textile makers after bilateral talks failed to reach a deal, an economy ministry spokesman said on Thursday. Mexico's economy ministry said in a statement that trade officials from both countries had met but that they could not come to an agreement. The ministry said that it still hoped to negotiate a solution, but that it would defend Mexico's interests under WTO rules.

Key says no area off limits in trade talks and partners comfortable with NZ's agriculture stance. The end of 2013 has been set as an informal deadline by which to conclude the Trans Pacific Partnership, in a meeting in Cambodia chaired by American President Barack Obama. But Prime Minister John Key said the TPP leaders also recognised they might have to have a full summit "to shove it over the line".

PHNOM PENH: United States President Barack Obama has requested for a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) meeting with some of the Asean leaders attending the Asean Summit and Related Summits here. The meeting to be held here today is expected to explore ways and exchange views on how to conclude the TPP negotiations. Officials said the special meeting was requested by the White House before Obama's re-election.

(Reuters) - It may have sounded good on paper: Win re-election, fly to Asia, soak up the adulation of fellow world leaders, then go home with at least a few tangible rewards to show for a legacy-shaping U.S. strategic shift eastwards. But U.S. President Barack Obama's first post-election trip abroad did not work out exactly according to plan.

Prime Minister John Key had a private one-on-one chat with US President Barack Obama today - about internet millionaire Kim Dotcom.   Key refused to say who said what - and only reluctantly hinted Dotcom was discussed.   The German mogul is fighting extradition to the US on anti-piracy charges, and has alleged undue political influence in the case.  

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda expressed his positive stance on his country's participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade talks during a summit with U.S. President Barack Obama in Cambodia on Tuesday, despite lingering domestic opposition. During their 25-minute meeting on the sidelines of a series of summits between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its dialogue partners, Noda and Obama also exchanged views on maritime security in Asia, Japanese officials said.