The Chatham House and SIIA organised a dialogue on the future of ASEAN-UK cooperation post-Brexit on Thursday, 8 November 2018. UK’s Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field, who delivered a keynote speech at the event, spoke to The Straits Times at the sidelines of the event. Below is an excerpt of the article.
China may have the upperhand in wooing the fast-developing Southeast Asian economies thanks to its size and proximity, but a post-Brexit United Kingdom is equally keen to sink its teeth into regional markets.
While Britain will necessarily have to be less Eurocentric once it leaves the European Union next March, Europe will continue to be an important trading partner even as the UK looks to other markets such as this region, said its Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field.
“One of the messages I get in the region is also a desire for other options,” said Mr Field in an interview with The Straits Times yesterday.
“I don’t actually think the fact that China is a big regional player, and is obviously also interested in Asean, prevents us from having potentially strong connections that we can continue to build,” he said.
Full article: Britain looks to Asean post-Brexit
