1. The Thirtieth ASEAN Economic Ministers-Closer Economic Relations (AEM-CER) Consultation was held on 25 September 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Consultation was co-chaired by H.E. Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry of Malaysia; Senator the Hon Don Farrell Minister for Trade and Tourism, Australia; and Hon Todd McClay, Minister for Trade and Investment, New Zealand. The Meeting also welcomed H.E. Filipus Nino Pereira, Minister of Commerce, and Industry, Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to the Meeting as an observer.
   
   
2. The Meeting noted that the economies of ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand were highly complementary. The total two-way trade between ASEAN and Australia reached USD 128.27 billion in 2024 based on Australia’s data. Two-way trade between ASEAN and New Zealand stood at USD 15.29 billion in 2024, based on New Zealand’s data. Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow from Australia to ASEAN was recorded at USD 2.4 billion and FDI inflow from New Zealand to ASEAN was recorded at USD 481 million in the same year based on ASEAN’s preliminary statistics. In 2024, Australia was ASEAN’s ninth largest trading partner and eleventh largest source of foreign direct investment, and New Zealand was ASEAN’s twentieth largest trading partner and fifteenth largest source of foreign direct investment, based on ASEAN’s preliminary statistics.

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