LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th August, 2018) UK Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Mark Field on Tuesday started his tour of six countries in Southeast Asia to discuss the kingdoms post-Brexit relationship with the region, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
Field will visit Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines and Thailand, according to the statement.
"The Minister will hold bilateral meetings with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano of the Philippines, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi, and meet members of civil society and the business and economic communities," the statement said.
Field is also expected to deliver a keynote speech on the United Kingdoms "All of Asia" policy at Jakartas Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
"I am hugely excited by the opportunities this visit presents. I look forward to continuing the ongoing conversation around our post-Brexit relationship with ASEAN [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations] and its members, and deepening the UKs ties with one of the worlds most dynamic and vibrant regions," Field was quoted as saying in the statement.
After the 2016 Brexit referendum, the UK government has been actively promoting the Global Britain strategy, stressing multiple opportunities that the withdrawal from the bloc could open for the country, which will be able to strike its own trade deals. Boosting trade and economic ties with emerging economies is supposed to be one of the key priorities.
