Thailand's FTA partner trade rose 21.8% YoY to $243.67B in H1 2026, or 57.3% of total trade, per Ministry of Commerce data. Exports gained 12.6%; imports climbed 30%, with China the largest partner.

Philippines' DTI proposes mandatory certification for wrought aluminum and aluminum alloy products, requiring local and foreign manufacturers to obtain the Philippine Standard mark before selling.

The Philippines' Department of Trade and Industry is proposing a mandatory Philippine Standard certification scheme for wrought aluminum and aluminum alloy products, covering both local and foreign manufacturers. The Philippines imports over 90% of its aluminum consumption, with annual import value over $600 million.

Indonesia targets permanent magnet output using rare earths by 2028, seeking an integrated domestic supply chain from mineral processing to EVs, Danantara's CTO said in Jakarta.

Indonesia plans to produce permanent magnets using rare earth elements by 2028 as part of efforts to build an integrated domestic supply chain from mineral processing to electric vehicles, Danantara Chief Technology Officer Sigit Puji Santosa said Wednesday in Jakarta.

China's homegrown C919 jet launches its first international commercial route Wednesday, connecting Beijing to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, operated by Air China. The domestically built plane had carried 7.5M+ passengers on 57 domestic routes as of Aug. 10.

China is set to launch the first international commercial route operated by its homegrown C919 aircraft on Wednesday, connecting Beijing with Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia, operated by Air China. As of Aug. 10, the domestically developed large passenger jet had served 57 routes linking 25 cities and carried more than 7.5 million passenger trips, according to official data.

Bangladesh's inflation eased to 8.32% in July from 9.16% in June, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics said Wednesday. Food inflation dropped sharply to 7.16%, while non-food inflation fell to 9.28% from 9.61%.

Bangladesh's inflation eased to 8.32 percent in July from 9.16 percent in June, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. Food inflation fell sharply to 7.16 percent, while non-food inflation edged down to 9.28 percent.