Leaders of the 10 ASEAN bloc nations have agreed to move forward with a proposed Southeast Asia-wide travel corridor.
They issued a joint declaration at the 37th ASEAN Summit, agreeing in principle to a regional bubble to initially allow essential business travel across the region.
If all agree, and it moves forward, it would allow for quarantine-free travel.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo called for swift implementation, and to have it set up by the first quarter of 2021.
The ASEAN travel corridor calls for a common set of pre-departure and post-arrival health and safety protocols.
These will be developed by the ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group on Public Health Emergencies.
It would begin for business travel only but could be then expanded to include leisure trips.
Heads of government also agreed to develop better tech solutions to streamline contactless immigration procedures and contact tracing efforts.
The ASEAN bloc is made up of the nations of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Written by Ray Montgomery, Asia Editor
