Kuala lumpur: The 12th Working Group on Statistics of International Trade in Services (WGSITS12) is an important platform for ASEAN to strengthen cooperation, enhance comparability, and improve the quality and timeliness of trade in services statistics in line with international standards. Malaysia’s chief statistician and chair of the 15th ASEAN Community Statistical System Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin emphasized the necessity of reliable and forward-looking statistics to support ASEAN policy formulation, economic integration, and sustainable development.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Dr Mohd Uzir highlighted that international trade in services statistics must adapt to digitalisation, new business models, and current shifts in investment flows in today’s rapidly evolving global economy. Through WGSITS, ASEAN aims to ensure that its statistical systems remain relevant, comparable, and trusted to drive evidence-based decisions and sustainable regional growth. The WGSITS12 platform serves to review past initiatives and chart the direction for the next five years, addressing achievements and challenges in compiling and sharing statistics on trade in services, including regional data collection and publication.
Dr Mohd Uzir noted that the meeting focused on preparing a new work plan for 2026-2030, aligning services trade statistics with ASEAN’s broader economic goals. Participants exchanged views on strengthening cooperation via the ASEAN-Help-ASEAN framework and were updated on upcoming international guidelines that will influence the future of trade in services statistics. The delegates recognized ASEAN’s strong performance in international trade in services in 2024, with a 12.2 percent increase to US$1.29 trillion, exports rising by 14 percent to US$667.9 billion, and imports increasing by 10.2 percent to US$618.5 billion, resulting in a US$49.3 billion trade surplus.
The intra-ASEAN trade in services also saw growth, with exports increasing by 13.1 percent to US$92 billion and imports by 13.3 percent to US$85.9 billion, accounting for nearly 14 percent of the region’s total services trade. This positive momentum reflects a recovery in tourism and transport services, as well as continued growth in digital and business services across ASEAN. As part of Malaysia’s chairmanship, the Statistics Department presented its national work plan and shared experiences in compiling Statistics of International Trade in Services (SITS) to improve data quality, enhance timeliness, and strengthen coverage in line with international standards.
Dr Mohd Uzir further explained that Malaysia’s work plan reflects initiatives to integrate survey systems, deepen collaboration with key stakeholders, and address compilation challenges through innovation and technical improvements. The outcomes of WGSITS12 are expected to contribute to aligning ASEAN statistical initiatives with the upcoming ASEAN Economic Community Strategic Plan 2026-2030 and ASEAN’s post-2025 development vision. The WGSITS12 was attended by 22 participants from ASEAN member countries, including representatives from Malaysia and the ASEAN secretariat.