ASEAN business summit draws key players
ASEAN business summit draws key players
By Riyadi
SINGAPORE (JP): Over 600 business leaders and fund managers
from ASEAN and its major trading partners will attend the
inaugural ASEAN business summit in Jakarta on March 12 and March
13.
Summit organizing committee chairman Suryo Sulisto said here
yesterday over 100 U.S. business leaders would attend the summit.
Dozens of business leaders from Europe, Australia and Japan
had would also attend, he said.
"Thus we hope this summit will help promote the business
contacts needed to exploit trade and investment opportunities in
the region," Suryo said.
Several high-ranking ASEAN officials and prominent business
leaders would speak at the summit which President Soeharto would
attend, he said
Speakers include Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar
Ibrahim, Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Thai
Deputy Prime Minister Amnuay Viravan, Indonesian Coordinating
Minister for Production and Distribution Hartarto, Minister of
Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave and Minister of
Industry and Trade Tunky Ariwibowo.
Investment agency heads from the seven ASEAN members --
Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand
and Vietnam -- would be given opportunities to promote investment
in their countries.
Private sector speakers will include president of the United
States-based United Technology George David, Singapore Airlines
chairman S. Dhanabalan, Asian Development Bank president Mitsui
Sato; and president of Malaysia's MBF Finance Berhad Loy Hean
Honng.
Indonesian business leaders who will speak include AceS
president Adi R. Adiwoso, Jakarta Stock Exchange president Cyrill
Noerhadi, Todung Mulya Lubis from Lubis and Associates law
office, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman
Aburzial Bakri and Bank BNI president Widigdo Sukarman.
Aburizal Bakrie, who is also ASEAN Chambers of Commerce and
Industry president, said the summit would focus on the region's
trade and investment opportunities.
He said ASEAN had become a prominent trader and an attractive
investment site which offered unique business opportunities.
ASEAN's 1995 trade was estimated at nearly US$600 billion,
making it the world's fourth largest trading region after the
United States, Japan and the European Union.
In 2003, when ASEAN's free trade agreement becomes effective,
ASEAN is expected to have a population of over 500 million
people; a huge market with vast business opportunities.
Aburizal said the summit would promote ASEAN business and
investment opportunities in five sectors.
They are food and agriculture, automotive industry and capital
goods, banking and insurance, franchises, and intellectual
property rights and legal services and infrastructure.
Shortly before the summit, on March 10 and March 11, ASEAN CCI
will have a council meeting in Jakarta. The meeting will discuss
ASEAN CCI programs, food and agriculture, capital goods, and
tourism.