Media Coverage: 10th ASEAN and Asia Forum

Last week, on 5 Oct 2017, we held our 10th ASEAN and Asia Forum (AAF) at The Ritz-Carlton, Millennia Singapore on the theme “A Future Ready ASEAN: People & Growth In An Uncertain World”. The Forum was attended by over 300 industry experts, corporate leaders and key decision-makers from around the region.

Here’s a selection of the post-event media coverage as of this week, in both Singapore and regional media. Want to hear the speeches and watch the panels? We streamed our panels live – catch the videos on Twitter.

Myanmar eyes China’s trade plan for much-needed infrastructure, as crisis in Rakhine goes on

by Liu Zhen

Myanmar said it is looking at ways to complement schemes like China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” to help it make much-needed progress on its infrastructure.

Minister for Construction U Win Khaing told the Asean and Asia Forum in Singapore on Thursday that his country needed to improve its infrastructure quickly to cope with the mass internal migration to its cities.

The government had been in contact with various potential partners, including China and Japan, promoting Myanmar as a hub to connect Southeast Asia and South Asia, he said.

“We are talking about how to complement such initiatives as [the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’] because [its] objectives can very well complement our national objectives,” he said.

Full Article: Myanmar eyes China’s trade plan for much-needed infrastructure, as crisis in Rakhine goes on [South China Morning Post, 6 Oct 2017]

ASEAN must leverage collective strength to navigate challenges: Iswaran

by Afifah Ariffin

SINGAPORE: ASEAN must draw on its shared vision and collective strength to stay resolute in its commitment to regional economic integration, particularly in light of rising anti-globalisation sentiment and protectionism, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) S Iswaran said on Thursday (Oct 5).

In a speech at the 10th ASEAN and Asia forum organised by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, Mr Iswaran emphasised the need for ASEAN to anchor its relevance on the global stage, in order to compete for international trade and investments.

Specifically, Mr Iswaran noted that ASEAN will need to step up efforts to tackle non-tariff barriers to facilitate the free flow of goods in the region. ASEAN must also press ahead with liberalisation in services and do more to be in step with the digital economy by ensuring open and easy access to the internet, and supporting the free flow of data.

Externally, ASEAN must continue to forge strong connectivity with key markets, including with its free trade agreement partners (China, Japan, Australia, India and more recently Hong Kong), Mr Iswaran said, as well as its four other dialogue partners (Canada, the European Union, Russia and the United States).

Full Article: ASEAN must leverage collective strength to navigate challenges: Iswaran [5 Oct 2017, Channel NewsAsia]