ID :
148048
Sat, 10/30/2010 - 14:09
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/148048
The shortlink copeid
SETTING UP OF EAST ASIAN COMMUNITY AFTER ASEAN COMMUNITY A REALITY
HANOI, Oct 30 (Bernama) -- The setting up of the East Asian Community (EAC)will
be implemented after the goal of having the Southeast Asian Community by 2015 is
realised, said Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.
He said no deadline had been set to form the EAC but nevertheless, various
steps being taken now to make the Southeast Asian region among the most
important in the world were also towards realising the EAC.
He said this included the introduction of the Credit Guarantee and
Investment Facility (CGIF), which be implemented by the end of this year to
stimulate regional economic recovery.
"These are the things which indicate that we are moving towards greater economic
integration. There is no specific target yet but I think we have to go step by
step after we establish this Asean community by 2015.
"I think everybody thinks that, the next logical step will be to think in terms
of an East Asian community," he told Malaysian journalists after attending the
second day of the 17th Asean Summit and Related Summits here Friday.
On Friday, Najib attended five summits involving 13th Asean-Japan Summit, 13th
Asean-South Korea Summit, 13th Asean-China Summit, 13th Asean Plus Three Summit
and the 3rd Asean-UN (United Nations) Summit.
Najib said during the 13th Asean-Japan Summit, he commended Japan's commitment
and contribution to maritime security activities in this region.
He said cooperation in this area should be expanded further, given the rising
complexity of issues faced as well as the mutual interest of Asean and Japan.
He said Malaysia also encouraged Japanese investors to expand their operations
in Asean by taking advantage of the liberalisation in trade in goods, services
and investment.
"Malaysia also welcomes investments and transfer of green technology from Japan
to Asean," he said.
Meanwhile, the prime minister said Malaysia had proposed networking between
South Korean universities and top Asean universities because four South Korean
universities have been listed in the top global 200 high performance prestigious
tertiary institutions in the recenlty published Quacquarelli Symonds and Time
Higher Education surveys.
He said Malaysia also anticipated that the Seoul Summit would focus on
implementing previous G20 commitments within the established time frame in
safeguarding the ongoing economic recovery, ensuring strong sustainable and
balancede conomic growth as well as modernising international financial
institutions.
The prime minister said Malaysia also supported ongoing efforts to
create greater awareness of the Asean-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the
review undertaken to further simplify the process of facilitating expansion of
Asean-South Korea trade.
During the 13th Asean-China Summit, Najib said Malaysia emphasised that the
Asean-China FTA Framework must be maximised to support production processes in
Asean.
"In this way, it will also lead to deepening economic integration within the
East Asian region. Foreign Direct Investment inflows from China into Asean need
to be doubled from the current level. The US$5.3 billion inflows from 2007 to
2009 are relatively low," he added.
Najib also said Malaysia welcomed China's proposal to convene an Asean-China
Commemorative Summit in 2011 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Asean-China
dialogue relations.
As for the 13th Asean-Plus Three (APT) Summit, Najib said Malaysia welcomed the
initiative to operationalise the CGIF by the end of this year in order to give
impetus to regional economic recovery.
When asked whether Asean leaders discussed about the latest disasters in
Indonesia during the summits, Najib said: "No, but we are open to it. If there
is specific request from them, we are willing to assist.
"Our (Malaysia) position is the same. We have not decided (on the
assistance to Indonesia). But I might have a word with (Indonesian President) Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono because he is going to join us (in the Summit). And let's see
whether he needs help from Malaysia or other countries."
Susilo, who had been here to take part in a summit of Asean leaders from
Thursday to Saturday, flew back to Indonesia on Wednesday following the country
being hit by twin disasters - a tsunami disaster in Sumatra and a volcano
disaster in Java.
The death toll from the tsunami disaster which resulted from a magnitude 7.7
earthquake beneath the rose to 408 on Friday as officials found more bodies
while 303 people were still missing and feared swept out to sea, according to
Agus Prayitno of the West Sumatra provincial disaster management centre.
Along with the 33 people killed when Mount Merapi erupted on Tuesday, more than 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) to the east in central Java, the number of dead from Indonesia's twin disasters this week has now reached 441.
be implemented after the goal of having the Southeast Asian Community by 2015 is
realised, said Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.
He said no deadline had been set to form the EAC but nevertheless, various
steps being taken now to make the Southeast Asian region among the most
important in the world were also towards realising the EAC.
He said this included the introduction of the Credit Guarantee and
Investment Facility (CGIF), which be implemented by the end of this year to
stimulate regional economic recovery.
"These are the things which indicate that we are moving towards greater economic
integration. There is no specific target yet but I think we have to go step by
step after we establish this Asean community by 2015.
"I think everybody thinks that, the next logical step will be to think in terms
of an East Asian community," he told Malaysian journalists after attending the
second day of the 17th Asean Summit and Related Summits here Friday.
On Friday, Najib attended five summits involving 13th Asean-Japan Summit, 13th
Asean-South Korea Summit, 13th Asean-China Summit, 13th Asean Plus Three Summit
and the 3rd Asean-UN (United Nations) Summit.
Najib said during the 13th Asean-Japan Summit, he commended Japan's commitment
and contribution to maritime security activities in this region.
He said cooperation in this area should be expanded further, given the rising
complexity of issues faced as well as the mutual interest of Asean and Japan.
He said Malaysia also encouraged Japanese investors to expand their operations
in Asean by taking advantage of the liberalisation in trade in goods, services
and investment.
"Malaysia also welcomes investments and transfer of green technology from Japan
to Asean," he said.
Meanwhile, the prime minister said Malaysia had proposed networking between
South Korean universities and top Asean universities because four South Korean
universities have been listed in the top global 200 high performance prestigious
tertiary institutions in the recenlty published Quacquarelli Symonds and Time
Higher Education surveys.
He said Malaysia also anticipated that the Seoul Summit would focus on
implementing previous G20 commitments within the established time frame in
safeguarding the ongoing economic recovery, ensuring strong sustainable and
balancede conomic growth as well as modernising international financial
institutions.
The prime minister said Malaysia also supported ongoing efforts to
create greater awareness of the Asean-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the
review undertaken to further simplify the process of facilitating expansion of
Asean-South Korea trade.
During the 13th Asean-China Summit, Najib said Malaysia emphasised that the
Asean-China FTA Framework must be maximised to support production processes in
Asean.
"In this way, it will also lead to deepening economic integration within the
East Asian region. Foreign Direct Investment inflows from China into Asean need
to be doubled from the current level. The US$5.3 billion inflows from 2007 to
2009 are relatively low," he added.
Najib also said Malaysia welcomed China's proposal to convene an Asean-China
Commemorative Summit in 2011 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Asean-China
dialogue relations.
As for the 13th Asean-Plus Three (APT) Summit, Najib said Malaysia welcomed the
initiative to operationalise the CGIF by the end of this year in order to give
impetus to regional economic recovery.
When asked whether Asean leaders discussed about the latest disasters in
Indonesia during the summits, Najib said: "No, but we are open to it. If there
is specific request from them, we are willing to assist.
"Our (Malaysia) position is the same. We have not decided (on the
assistance to Indonesia). But I might have a word with (Indonesian President) Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono because he is going to join us (in the Summit). And let's see
whether he needs help from Malaysia or other countries."
Susilo, who had been here to take part in a summit of Asean leaders from
Thursday to Saturday, flew back to Indonesia on Wednesday following the country
being hit by twin disasters - a tsunami disaster in Sumatra and a volcano
disaster in Java.
The death toll from the tsunami disaster which resulted from a magnitude 7.7
earthquake beneath the rose to 408 on Friday as officials found more bodies
while 303 people were still missing and feared swept out to sea, according to
Agus Prayitno of the West Sumatra provincial disaster management centre.
Along with the 33 people killed when Mount Merapi erupted on Tuesday, more than 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) to the east in central Java, the number of dead from Indonesia's twin disasters this week has now reached 441.
