ASEAN block wants more regional trade–Russia wants more ties–the EU finalizing trade deals with ASEAN nations

 ASEAN Nations (Public domain via Wikipedia)

COGwriter

The ASEAN nations are promoting more trade steps:

ASEAN urged to deepen regional ties to withstand global shocks

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) can turn its economic strength into more sustainable growth by protecting public finances, removing trade barriers and building regional energy networks, senior international financial officials told participants at a Bangkok forum on Wednesday (October 14).

The seminar, “ASEAN in a Changing Global Landscape”, took place at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center during the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group. …

Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF’s managing director, described ASEAN as an increasingly important source of global growth. Its 11 economies form a US$4.5 trillion bloc, home to approximately 700 million people and growing at an annual rate of 4.5%, faster than the global average. She described ASEAN as large enough to rank as the world’s fourth-largest economy.

“Asia is the engine of global growth. It has delivered historically in the last decades two-thirds of global growth.”

Georgieva estimated that Asia would account for 68% of global growth in 2026, a greater share than in previous decades. ASEAN’s progress, she argued, reflected reforms that had encouraged private-sector dynamism and economic development.

Krishna Srinivasan, director of the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department, highlighted the region’s resilience to trade disruptions. Technology and non-technology exports had performed better than expected despite tariff pressures, with average US tariffs on ASEAN goods at about 12.4%, lower than initially feared. https://www.nationthailand.com/business/economy/40072241

Part of the motivation is due to US President Donald Trump’s Administration’s tariffs and threats.

Russia sees an opportunity to trade more with the ASEAN nations:

Russian Strategic Partnership With ASEAN Remains Top Priority – Lavrov

>Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that strengthening Russia’s strategic partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) remains an unwavering priority.

“At the very beginning, Russia has been paying great respect to the ASEAN-centric system of security in Southeast Asia, and now it consistently defends the initiative to create the Greater Eurasian Partnership,” Lavrov said during the talks with ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn.

According to Lavrov, the ASEAN secretary-general has a packed schedule during his visit to Moscow, including meetings at the Russian Presidential Administration, talks with senior officials from several federal ministries, a visit to the Eurasian Economic Commission, and participation in Russian Energy Week.

The Russian foreign minister noted that this was Kao Kim Hourn’s second visit to Russia this year. https://sputnikglobe.com/20261013/russian-strategic-partnership-with-asean-remains-top-priority—lavrov-1124874803.html

Let it be noted that since Donald Trump’s second term began, the ASEAN nations have been leaning more towards the European Union:

EU’s reputation grows among Southeast Asian elites

14 April 2025

A new survey of Southeast Asian opinion leaders shows renewed trust in the EU …

More than half of opinion makers in Southeast Asia believe the European Union will “do the right thing” to improve the world, according to the latest research published by the Singapore-based ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

The annual survey compiles answers from the ASEAN-10 — Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar, Laos, and Brunei. For the first time this year, it also includes Timor-Leste.

The institute quizzed more than 2,000 people over who they believe are “in a position to inform or influence policy” in the Southeast Asian region. …

Among other questions, they asked if participants believed the EU would “do the right thing” and “contribute to global peace, security, prosperity, and governance.” …

The EU is close to finalizing free trade deals with Indonesia and Thailand. In January, Brussels and Malaysia agreed to restart trade talks, while talks with the Philippines resumed last year. https://www.dw.com/en/eus-reputation-grows-among-southeast-asian-elites/a-72220096

We are seeing another sign of less US influence in Asia.

The EU has been working on a trade deal with the ASEAN nations:

EU finally clinching trade deals with Southeast Asian states

24 September 2026

After years of arduous negotiations, the EU is closing on a string of bilateral trade deals with countries in Southeast Asia. And yet, a bloc-to-bloc agreement between the EU and ASEAN remains a distant prospect. …

The EU and several Southeast Asian nations are nearing the finish line on bilateral trade deals, and if the current deadlines hold, the European bloc will have agreements in place with six out of 11 ASEAN states by the middle of next year.

Free trade agreements with Singapore and Vietnam are already in force. Negotiations with Indonesia have concluded, and Jakarta aims to sign the agreement in October, with implementation targeted for early 2027.

Talks with Thailand, relaunched in 2023, have reached nine negotiating rounds, while Malaysia resumed negotiations in early 2025 after a 13-year pause. Both are expected to be finalized by the end of the year or early 2027.

Earlier this week, the EU and the Philippines announced that they had reached “substantial agreement” on their free trade agreement, putting it on course for formal conclusion in the coming months. https://amp.dw.com/en/eu-finally-clinching-trade-deals-with-southeast-asian-states/a-79388278

The US has been losing influence in Asia as the influence of China, Russia, and the EU has been rising. Donald Trump’s tariffs and threats have not helped. There are many unintended consequences of Donald Trump’s policies and statements. Here is something from my January 16, 2025 book Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?:

Donald Trump’s tariff and other economic policies are getting the Gentile nations of Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia to look to trade more with each other. An unintended consequence of his rhetoric and policies is that they are encouraging the end-time rise of the final time of the Gentiles.

That is clearly happening.

Last year, in my list of 26 items to prophetically watch in 2026, I predicted:

Europe will reach out to various ones in Asia and Africa, as well as Latin America. In the next several years, deals and more trade will occur with Africa, Asia, Mexico, and South America. …

Europe will get more serious about trade deals with others internationally, such as being more motivated to approve the trade deal with the Mercosur block of South America.

That said, in 2026 Europe will work on getting more of the world to accept its standards and trading matters. This will help Europe ultimately dominate trade.

For a time, Babylon will dominate world trade:

2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” (Revelation 18:2-3).

While ‘Babylon’ will not fully reign in 2026, with the USA pulling out of trade deals and/or wishing to change them, steps are occurring that are pushing Europe to dominate trade (watch Trade Wars: Are COG warnings coming to pass?).

Expect Europe to reach out to various Gentile nations in Asia, Africa, South America, and elsewhere to make trade deals.

The final time of the Gentiles is approaching. We are seeing BRICS, the Global South, the EU, and others working on ways to trade and not have to deal with the descendants of Ephraim (UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) and Manasseh (the USA).

The Europeans will work with many nations to secure stronger trade agreements.

This is also happening. The USA has been wishing to change trade deals. And the ASEAN nations are leaning more towards the European Union, the EU is trying to finalizing free trade deals with Indonesia and Thailand, while also working with Malaysia and the Philippines, plus also Central Asia.

To learn more scriptures and other information related to future trade, we put together the following video:

14:49

Trade Wars – and the Winner will be …

US President Trump imposed tariffs on a global scale. Those tariffs were imposed on friend and foe alike. It seems as if President Trump is no respecter of nations. But how will this work out for the United States? Will these tariffs result in other nations drawing closer together that have had rather cold, and even not so cold, relations in the past? Will global tariffs result in trade wars? Were the events which are happening predicted by any in the Continuing Church of God? Is Europe drawing closer to China? Is Europe drawing closer to Latin and South America? With the exception of a few of America’s allies, is the net result of these tariffs a worldwide scramble to create new alliances and new trading partners to the exclusion of the United States? What will be the future result of these new alliances? Many of the nations that are now seeking new alliances were just recently America’s allies. They were her friends. Dr. Thiel brings to light the fate of America and her allies at the hands of her former friends, as revealed in the book of Lamentations. As we rapidly approach the end times listen in as Dr. Thiel brings to light world events. Then listen as he shines the light of Bible prophecy directly on the questions raised from these world events.

Here is a link to our video: Trade Wars – and the Winner will be …

Trade matters are changing.

Church of God warnings on trade are coming to pass.

Are YOU paying attention?