In his welcoming remarks, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Satvinder Singh highlighted that the global value chains have been transformed, becoming more regionalized and diversified. He said enhanced participation in global value chains will help the economies of ASEAN recover sustainably, adding that ASEAN stands a good chance of reaping the benefits from these emerging trends.” UK Ambassador to ASEAN Jon Lambe indicated that AEC’s focus areas this year – recovery, digitization, and sustainability – are priorities that the UK shares. He said together, ASEAN and the UK will not just overcome the pandemic, but also stimulate a rapid, inclusive, and sustainable recovery.’’