Manila

THE foreign ministers and central bank governors of Asean and three East Asian partner countries vowed yesterday to push back against protectionist measures they warned could derail world economic recovery.

"We. . . recognise the importance of resisting all forms of protectionism," they said in a joint statement they issued on Friday at the 21st Asean+3 Finance Ministers' and Central Bank Governors' Meeting here. Asean+3 refers to South-east Asia's 10 economies, China, Japan and South Korea.