ASEAN must rally around new vision<\/p>\n
BANGKOK: Supachai Panitchpakdi's proposal for the Association
\nof Southeast Asian Nations to include China is sound, given that
\nthe group lacks a progressive attitude.<\/p>\n
In recent years, ASEAN has taken few significant initiatives
\nin making the region more dynamic economically. Some of the
\nreasons are well known, including the economic and political
\ncrises that erupted beginning in 1997. But the world has moved on
\nwhile ASEAN has been left behind to play catch-up.<\/p>\n
The groundbreaking proposals by Dr Panitchpakdi, who will take
\nover the World Trade Organization (WTO)'s top post next year, are
\nmore than timely. In a speech in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, he
\nstrongly proposed that China be brought into the ASEAN Free Trade
\nArea (AFTA), whose tariff reductions should be further brought
\nforward.<\/p>\n
At the same time, links must be forged with other major North
\nAsian nations, such as Japan and South Korea, to form the East
\nAsia Economic community. ASEAN can evolve into a bigger regional
\ngrouping, at least economically.<\/p>\n
The proposals should be adopted by the leaders of ASEAN and
\nNorth Asian countries as a new engine of economic dynamism. East
\nAsia in many ways has already fallen behind due to internal
\ndifficulties faced by respective countries. This is all the more
\nreason for the region to come together and work as a bloc for the
\nfuture of the people.<\/p>\n
As pointed out by Dr Phisit Pakkasem, former chief of the
\nNational Economic and Social Development Board and a member of
\nthe East Asia Vision Group, the Americas have made progress in
\nthe formation of a Free Trade Associations of the Americas, with
\nthe backing of the United States. The pact is expected take
\neffect by 2005. Meanwhile, the European Community plans to give
\nspecial trade access to 54 least developed countries.<\/p>\n
The actions of the Americas and the EU will further strengthen
\ntheir trade blocs. Asia has not really come together and many of
\nthe recent efforts at regionalism through the Asia Pacific
\nEconomic Cooperation forum (APEC) have not borne much fruit
\nbecause the agreements are non-binding.<\/p>\n
Supachai also stressed that the admission of China into AFTA
\nis more than just a question of regional ties. It will help ASEAN
\nto better take advantage of China's entry into the WTO, expected
\nlater this year. ASEAN can ride China's coattails and also become
\nan attractive location for Chinese investors.<\/p>\n
Will leaders of ASEAN live up to the challenge? So far, only
\nSingapore has been busy making bilateral free trade pacts with
\nother countries around the world.<\/p>\n
Malaysia and Thailand have not played their parts, nor are
\nIndonesia and the Philippines in a position to become more
\naggressive.<\/p>\n
A crisis sometimes presents an opportunity for a region to
\ncome together. This is another opportunity for the leaders of
\nASEAN to put their heads together and look to the future. It is
\nnot ideas that are missing, but the political will to see them
\nthrough.<\/p>\n
Otherwise, a bleak future awaits the region, because other
\nparts of the world have moved on, and other parts of Asia have
\nother opportunities to pursue. The pan-Asian economic community
\nis a vision that has been around for some time, but now it needs
\nto be taken up again and made to work. So simple, and yet so
\ndifficult.<\/p>\n
-- The Nation\/Asia News Network<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asean-must-rally-around-new-vision-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }