The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed a digital pact covering trade and data as Singapore Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong urged closer payment and energy ties at the Manila summit.
Member states signed the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) in Manila on Nov. 14 during the 28th ASEAN Economic Community Council Meeting, the ASEAN Secretariat said. Singapore’s Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry describes DEFA as ASEAN’s first digital-economy pact with its own binding legal status. It covers digital trade, cross-border data transfers, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
The official timelines for the pact to take effect differ. The ASEAN Secretariat expects it to enter into force in early 2027, while Singapore’s ministry says the agreement will take effect 180 days after signing.
Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported that Wong called for fewer obstacles to cross-border payments and regional coordination against cyber threats and online scams. CNA also reported that he urged members to ratify the existing ASEAN Framework Agreement on Petroleum Security, prioritize the ASEAN Power Grid and broaden ties with external partners.
ASEAN ministers formalized an enhanced memorandum of understanding on the power grid on Nov. 14, shifting the initiative toward implementation, Singapore’s ministry said. The petroleum-security agreement, signed in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 16, 2025, remains out of force, according to ASEAN’s legal register. Under its terms, activation follows 90 days after the 10th instrument confirming ratification, approval or acceptance is deposited.
The energy agenda reflects supply concerns. ASEAN energy ministers said in an April statement that the bloc imports more energy than it exports and that disruptions along key routes could affect oil and gas supply chains. They called for regional coordination on energy security. Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office said the summit agenda includes energy resilience and cooperation with external partners.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. set a year-end goal to complete all 19 priority economic deliverables under the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN chairship, including DEFA, the Philippine News Agency reported. Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the country is scheduled to assume the bloc’s rotating chairmanship in 2027, a transition covered in EconoTimes’ report on Singapore’s 2027 ASEAN chairmanship. The summit is scheduled to run through Nov. 17, according to Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office.