Which economic alliance aims to reduce trade barriers among Southeast Asian nations?

Which economic alliance aims to reduce trade barriers among Southeast Asian nations?

• A. EU
• B. ASEAN
• C. NAFTA
• D. NATO

Answer: (B)

Reducing trade barriers to create a more integrated regional market is the key idea here. The alliance in Southeast Asia that does this is ASEAN—the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It was formed to deepen economic ties among Southeast Asian countries by lowering tariffs and cutting other obstacles to trade, aiming to make it easier to buy and sell goods across borders. Programs like the ASEAN Free Trade Area set targets to reduce tariffs among member nations, and the broader ASEAN Economic Community works toward a single market and production base where goods, services, investment, and labor can move more freely. Other options involve different regions or purposes: the European Union operates mainly in Europe, NAFTA (now USMCA) connects countries in North America, and NATO is a military alliance. So the one focused on reducing trade barriers among Southeast Asian nations is ASEAN.

Reducing trade barriers to create a more integrated regional market is the key idea here. The alliance in Southeast Asia that does this is ASEAN—the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It was formed to deepen economic ties among Southeast Asian countries by lowering tariffs and cutting other obstacles to trade, aiming to make it easier to buy and sell goods across borders. Programs like the ASEAN Free Trade Area set targets to reduce tariffs among member nations, and the broader ASEAN Economic Community works toward a single market and production base where goods, services, investment, and labor can move more freely.

Other options involve different regions or purposes: the European Union operates mainly in Europe, NAFTA (now USMCA) connects countries in North America, and NATO is a military alliance. So the one focused on reducing trade barriers among Southeast Asian nations is ASEAN.