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BANGKOK, Sept. 6-- The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) talks among the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and their six trade partner countries are scheduled in the Thai capital on Saturday and Sunday. The RCEP talks will be chaired by Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit who said on Friday that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and himself were pushing for conclusion to the RCEP talks within this year. Thailand would increase its export market shares and solve problems about the fundamental economy of its people if RCEP talks eventually turned to action, according to the commerce minister. Meanwhile, Jurin confirmed the 51st ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting (AEM), currently hosted by Thailand, has acknowledged progress made under ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025. During Friday's AEM meeting, four papers were ratified, including ASEAN operation plans for digital technology from 2019 until 2025, industrial change to Industry 4.0, human resources development plans to meet the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and promotion of digital technology for use by Micro-, Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs). MSMEs will be encouraged to develop themselves and apply modern technology to raise their potentials and help strengthen the ASEAN fundamental economy. Jurin said the ASEAN Secretariat has been assigned to draft strategic plans for 4IR which will not only involve the ASEAN economic pillar but the ASEAN social and cultural pillars as well as the ASEAN political and security pillars. | 
