2025 Australia-ASEAN Business Forum to be held in Adelaide

Adelaide will be the venue for the 2025 Australia-ASEAN Business Forum, which will welcome delegates from across Australia and Southeast Asia for the two-day conference in August.

The Australia-ASEAN Business Forum, held on 26 and 27 August, is a pivotal platform to advance trade, investment, and public-private partnership to accelerate growth across the regions.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is the world’s largest free trade agreement that complements and builds upon Australia’s existing free trade agreements with Indo-Pacific countries including Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Japan, Laos, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

“Harnessing the opportunities of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), would also provide us with a robust framework for strengthening supply chain resilience, facilitating seamless market access, streamlining rules and disciplines, as well as driving sustainable economic growth across our economies,” said Mr Francis Wong, Chairman of the Australia-ASEAN Business Forum.

“I urge businesses and policy makers to explore new synergies under RCEP, particularly in sustainable development, digital transformation and other emerging issues, ensuring that our economic integration can continue to play an important role, not only in promoting but also in translating tangible benefits for MSMEs and local communities.

“ASEAN remains committed to an open, rules-based trading system, and we welcome Australia’s continued partnership in driving shared prosperity under RCEP. I look forward to attending the Australia-ASEAN Business Forum in Adelaide, on 26-27 August 2025.”

Ambassadors from the ASEAN region will join business delegations and exhibitors across renewable energy and the green economy, digital transformation and artificial intelligence, agriculture and food security, human capital and skills development sectors.

The Forum’s move to Adelaide reflects South Australia’s increasing focus on growing commercial and diplomatic links with Southeast Asia. Last year, the South Australian Government welcomed on board a new Regional Director for Trade and Investment in Southeast Asia, based in Singapore.

Ms Natalya Twohill is supporting South Australian companies across the region who are looking to take advantage of the opportunities the RCEP presents.

For further information on the Australia-ASEAN Business Forum, visit https://auaseanbusinessforum.com