Trade and investment in the Southeast Asia

The Australian Government is committed to deepening our economic cooperation with our region, including through Invested: Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040. Authored by Special Envoy for Southeast Asia Mr Nicholas Moore AO, Invested sets out a practical pathway to significantly increase two-way trade and investment between Australia and Southeast Asia.

2 man and a women standing in front of flags. The man in the middle is in front of a podium holding up a publication. — Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Special Envoy for Southeast Asia Nicholas Moore at the launch of Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, Jakarta, Indonesia, 6 September 2023. Image credit: @AlboMP | X.

Group photo of approximately 25–30 attendees in business attire standing in a hotel conference hallway with warm lighting and patterned carpet. A green banner behind the group reads “Southeast Asia Investment Deal Roadshow" with an Australian emblem. The group faces the camera in a formal, staged arrangement. — Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell with a delegation in Singapore as part of the Southeast Asia Investment Deal Teams Initiative, supporting Australian investors to increase investment into Southeast Asia, 24 June 2024. Image credit: Austrade

Southeast Asia is collectively Australia's second-largest trading partner. Our strong trade links with ASEAN Member States are supported by two regional, four bilateral and one plurilateral free trade agreements. More about our trade and investment with ASEAN Member States.

Australia was an original party to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement when it entered into force on 1 January 2022. RCEP reinforces ASEAN's centrality within the Indo-Pacific regional economic architecture and rules-based order and brings together Australia, New Zealand, ASEAN and the major North Asian economies of China, Japan and South Korea. RCEP is now the world's largest free trade agreement by members' combined gross domestic product (GDP).

The Second Protocol upgrading the ASEAN Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) entered into force on 21 April 2025. The AANZFTA Upgrade is a historic step towards deeper regional economic integration and provides both economic and strategic advantages to Australia. The Regional Trade for Development Initiative (RT4D) provides technical assistance and capacity building to support ASEAN Member States to realise the full benefits of RCEP and an upgraded AANZFTA.

We are also helping to advance high-quality development across Southeast Asia through Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I), our ASEAN development cooperation, and economic integration in the Mekong-Australia Partnership.

Image of officials at the ASEAN Secretariat meeting, including Senator the Hon Penny Wong and His Excellency Dr Kao Kim Hourn. — Foreign Minister Penny Wong meets with H.E. Dr Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, at the ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, Indonesia, 12 July 2023. Image credit: DFAT

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Trade and investment in the Southeast Asia