The United Kingdom is gearing up for greater economic collaboration with
Asean, hoping to offset the weakness in its own economy and that of Europe.
China, India and Asean are all
targets of the UK business sector, according to Wick Baird, chief executive of
UK Trade Investment (UKTI) in London. In January, UKTI will have offices in all
10 Asean countries when Cambodia becomes the latest host to the trade promotion
body.
British ambassadors from all
Asean capitals gathered in Singapore last week to readjust their strategies to
push for greater investment and higher trade profiles, added Mark Kent, the UK
ambassador to Bangkok.
“We will focus on supporting
services and technology-related business interactions with Asean and continue
trade and investment facilitation,” said Mr Kent.
The British High Commissioner to
Brunei, Rob Fenn, also highlighted the importance of Asean and its member
states to the UK in his blog.
With the recent handover of the
Asean chairmanship from Cambodia to Brunei, Mr Fenn said the UK was fascinated
by Asean economic growth and waned to strengthen relations with its member
states.
UK dignitaries including Foreign
Secretary William Hague toured some capitals including Bangkok and Vientiane at
the time of the recent Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Laos. Hugo Swire,
the Foreign and Commonwealth Office minister, will visit Bandar Seri Begawan
next month, following up on a trip Mr Hague made to Brunei in April.
The fact that Mr Hague has
reopened the British Embassy in Vientiane was also a show of UK commitment in
the region.
Mr Fenn wrote in his blog that
2013 would be a good year for the UK as Asean was steadily progressing toward
the Asean Economic Community, which eventually would improve trade with the UK
too.
“Asean’s highly educated and
increasingly self-confident population will want more of the things that the
UK’s innovative economy produces,” he wrote. “And Asean’s member states will
see that the UK rejoices in their success — the true test of friendship.”
In UK, Asean has been creating
some buzz among the business sector, prompting Asia House to plan an Asean Week
to be staged in the middle of next year in London.
The UKTI and the UK
Asean-Business Council have already partnered with the British Chambers of
Commerce in Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia to introduce a new service for
British SME startups in these countries.
The UKABC serves UK businesses
that are looking for opportunities or are already active in the region.
Together with the UKTI network of overseas offices, they hope to promote
business opportunities in Asean to UK companies, as well as provide them with
informative and practical market intelligence.
The UKABC also works to put Asean
decision-makers in touch with UK companies to maximise business opportunities,
and to represent UK business’ views in contacts with Asean and its member
states.
Achara Ashayagachat
Business & Investment Opportunities
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