Jakarta, 6 December 2011
As 2011 draws to a close, how do you plan to conduct our business in 2012? With economic uncertainties surrounding Europe and the United States, what is your game plan to stay a float? Is the situation so bleak, or are there opportunities to be tapped?
These questions and many more others will be explored, when business leaders from China and ASEAN gather in Beijing for the inaugural China-ASEAN Beijing Economic Forum or CABEF. More importantly, this will be a valuable opportunity for both sides to explore and identify business opportunities.
Co-hosted by the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality; the ASEAN Secretariat; and the ASEAN-China Centre, CABEF is co-organised by the Foreign Affairs Office of Beijing Municipal Government; the Beijing Municipal Commission of Commerce; the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Investment Promotion; the Administrative Committee of Zhongguancun Science Park; the Beijing Federation of Industry & Commerce; and the Beijing Sub-council of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
According to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, total bilateral trade had crossed US$350 billion. And with a combined market of 2 billion, the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area is the biggest in the world.
“Many Asian government and business leaders have learnt from past experience, that the best way to tackle a slowdown is not a total shutdown on spending. If you do that, you are only perpetuating a recession,” said Dr Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN.
“Think back to 2008. When the collapse of Lehmann Brothers triggered the financial crisis, Asian governments quickly got their act together. Some ASEAN governments seized the opportunity to re-train and restructure their economy, while others identify key areas of investment to strengthen their infrastructure,” added Dr Surin. “By the second half of 2009, many ASEAN economies had rebounded to post spectacular growth for 2010!”
Can the same be done again?
Premier Wen has set a target for total bilateral trade to hit US$500 billion by 2015. Towards that objective, officials from ASEAN and China are hard at work to remove trade barriers, and to facilitate trade.
In ASEAN, governments have identified major infrastructure projects to boost growth and domestic consumption. The growing middle-class represents one of the most vibrant consumer markets n the world today.
The CABEF will be held on Dec 16 and 17, at the Reignwood Theatre in Beijing.
