JAKARTA, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has gained significant headway in many areas. With the ASEAN Charter and the Roadmap for the ASEAN Community, the 10-member regional group succeeded in making achievements in its 14thsummit and 15th summit respectively in this March and October, which brought the ASEAN integration process into a new stage.

As President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono works to improve the investment climate in Indonesia, regulatory surprises have slowed his progress, reinforcing the impression that Indonesia is an unpredictable place to do business. Twice this year Indonesian legislation has caught the market unprepared, forcing market participants to grapple with an unexpected regulatory development. Most recently, Indonesian tax authorities issued a regulation taking effect on Jan.

Banda Aceh (ANTARA News) - Vice President Boediono said the government would only be able to set aside 15 percent of the regional and national budgets for supporting investment to achieve seven percent growth. "We need seven percent growth a year but the government could maximally provide 15 to 18 percent of the regional and national budgets for investment," he said at a meeting with Aceh regional government officials here on Saturday.

Banda Aceh (ANTARA News) - Banda Aceh is being prepared to have a seaport for very large ships by 2014, Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf said here Saturday. "We are preparing Banda Aceh to have a hard port or a seaport for very large ships, ships too large to pass through the Malacca Strait," the governor said.