Asia urged to create competitive economies<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (DPA): Asian countries were urged on Saturday to
\ntake up the European Union's challenge of creating competitive
\nand dynamic economies in the next decade.<\/p>\n
The recent economic crises in Southeast Asia have shown \"the
\nregion's response has been resourceful and resilient,\" German
\nSecretary of State Wolfgang Ischinger told the Third Europe Asia
\nForum in Singapore.<\/p>\n
The creation of knowledge-based economies \"will result in
\nincreased opportunities for economic cooperation and exchange
\nbetween our regions,\" Ischinger said on the second day of
\nmeetings organized by the Asia-Europe Foundation and the Herbert
\nQuandt Stiftung, a foundation of the BMW Group.<\/p>\n
The EU has set the objective for the next decade of becoming
\nthe most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the
\nworld, Ischinger said, \"capable of sustainable economic growth
\nwith more and better jobs and greater social cohesion.\"<\/p>\n
\"A heightened awareness of the need to address shared concerns
\nthrough joint effort may well turn out to be a long-term gain,\"
\nIschinger said.<\/p>\n
With Asia a top priority for Germany this year, Ischinger said
\nGerman Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and other ministers would
\ntravel to the region. Despite a lower level of engagement with
\nAsia in 1999, Ischinger said Asia has returned to being a top
\npriority.<\/p>\n
He noted Berlin was preoccupied with the Kosovo crisis and
\n\"had more problems than we were able to deal with.\"<\/p>\n
Citing the macro-economic targets set by the EU states,
\nSchroeder mentioned an average of 3 percent economic growth
\nannually over the next decade and a 50 percent hike in education
\nexpenditures by 2010.<\/p>\n
Markets for telecommunications, gas, electricity and transport
\nshould be liberalized further and fully integrated in the next
\ntwo to five years, he said.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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