Growth will remain a top priority at the 44th ASEAN Economic Ministers
Meeting, which ran from August 25 to Sept 1 in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
"The message may not be
totally new, but the fact remains that economic uncertainties hovering around
the world, many will be watching here for answers. We may not be able to save
the world single-handedly, but if we are able to maintain healthy robust growth
in ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific, we will help to hold the ship together. We will
provide the lead time for Europe to get back on its feet," said Dr Surin
Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN.
Pointing out the need to stay
focused, and to keep faith with open markets, Deputy Secretary-General Lim Hong
Hin from the ASEAN Economic Pillar, cautioned against the emergence of
protectionism.
"As of 2011, ASEAN's intra-trade had
accounted for a quarter of our total trade. If you add our trade with key
partners like China, Japan, the EU and the US, you are looking at a very
important cornerstone of our healthy economic growth. That growth has helped to
raise the living standards of many of our peoples, but there are many more who
are waiting for their turn to enjoy the fruits of economic development. We
cannot afford to fail them," said Lim.
The week-long meetings will bring
together the economic ministers of the 10 ASEAN Member States of Brunei,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand and Vietnam. The ministers will hold dialogue with partners like
China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, India, the United States,
Canada and Russia.United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk, will spend two
days, August 30 and 31.
In an earlier interview with the Phnom Penh
Post, Cambodia’s Senior Minister and Minister of Commerce, HE Cham Prasidh,
said that Phnom Penh will push forward with plans to reduce the development gap
among ASEAN member states during Cambodia's chairmanship of ASEAN this year.
Narrowing the development gap is
one of the main objectives of the ASEAN Economic Community. Earlier efforts by
the grouping, combined with the positive investment climate in Asia, had helped
boost Southeast Asia as one of the fastest growing areas in the world. This in
turn, has raised the optimism of turning ASEAN into a single market, and a
single manufacturing base.
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