E. Asia, Latin America seek closer ties through new body
E. Asia, Latin America seek closer ties through new body
SINGAPORE (AFP): Senior officials from 27 East Asian and Latin American countries were to meet here Wednesday to inaugurate a new body designed to boost trade and diplomatic ties between the two regions.
The first formal meeting of the East Asia-Latin America Forum comes a year after Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong proposed its creation.
A spokesman at the Foreign Ministry here said several specific issues would be discussed during the three days of talks.
"First of all, to flash out and to reach a common understanding on the strategic rationale for this Forum and its multi-dimensional structure," he said.
"Second is to start the preparatory process for the second meeting at the foreign ministers' level in about a year's time."
The spokesman added that the second meeting would be held in Chile, where Singapore Premier Goh launched his call for the two regions to learn more about each other, not just in the field of economics but also in culture, the arts and the environment.
"Thirdly, we want to put on the table and discuss concrete projects of cooperation," the spokesman said.
Diplomats from the Latin American countries here welcomed the Forum, saying they would also put several proposals on the table during the meeting.
The Argentina delegation will propose setting up a business development council that will represent all Latin American companies in various East Asian countries, and vice-versa, the Straits Times said.
It also quoted Peruvian Ambassador Juan Carlos Capunay as saying that his country had much to offer in terms of technology dealing with agriculture and fish, while Asian countries could help with plans to modernize transportation in Latin America.
Currently, East Asia's exports to Latin America make up just 1.7 percent of the region's total exports. Asia absorbs only slightly more than four percent of Latin American exports.
In the last two decades, the relative participation of Latin American exports in the Asian market increased by a minuscule 0.5 percent.
The countries attending the meeting from Asia are Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
From Latin America, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela, will be represented.