Work jointly for growth, peace, stability: PM Lee

PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday urged East Asian states to work together to promote economic growth and maintain peace and stability in the region.

They must strengthen their economic ties so that they can thrive in an uncertain and fast-changing world, he said at the annual post-Asean Summit pow-wow between Asean and East Asian leaders, the East Asian Summit (EAS).

The Singapore leader said he was happy that Asean's push for a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was making headway, and most of the EAS member states that were also Asean free trade agreement (FTA) partners - among them China, India and Japan - were taking part in the RCEP talks.