ID :
183654
Sun, 05/22/2011 - 15:44
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/183654
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Business leaders of Japan, China, S. Korea call for early FTA signing
TOKYO, May 22 Kyodo -
Business leaders from Japan, China and South Korea called on their governments Sunday to conclude a trilateral free trade agreement at an early date so as to further regional economic growth.
''It is essential that we conclude such an FTA as early as possible,'' the top officials of the Japan Business Federation, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Federation of Korean Industries said in a joint statement.
The envisioned FTA ''will fill a vital gap'' in integrating the East Asian economies and ''play a crucial role'' in achieving greater economic integration that also involves the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other Pacific Rim countries.
Such a trilateral FTA ''is expected to reduce tariffs, abolish export controls, stimulate investment and trade in services...and encourage cross-border movement of'' personnel resources with specialized knowledge and skills, the statement said.
Kan, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak said in speeches delivered to the businessmen that it is important to move toward a trilateral FTA. They shared the view that the three countries should speed up a joint study on the issue.
The powerful business lobbies in the East Asian neighbors, who met on the sidelines of an annual summit of the three countries' political leaders, also agreed to promote standardization of energy-saving technologies as part of efforts to fight global warming.
Hiromasa Yonekura, chairman of the Japan Business Federation, known as Nippon Keidanren, emphasized in a speech the importance of signing a trilateral East Asian FTA.
''We reaffirmed the importance of integrating the regional economy in order to achieve a sustainable economic growth in Asia,'' Yonekura said.
As lessons from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, which severely disrupted supply chains for many manufacturers, the business leaders cited a need to collaborate with the public sector in providing support for devastated areas and sharing disaster-response experience and expertise.
They also agreed to enhance cooperation in order for the Japanese industrial sector to achieve recovery, according to the joint statement.
''Tokyo and wide areas of Japan are functioning as completely as before (the disasters), and Japan-made goods and products including farm produce maintain safety and high quality,'' Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said in his speech. ''I hope people in the business communities feel secure and buy those goods and that many people will travel to Japan.''
Japan's economy has been struggling with damage from the twin natural disasters as well as the ensuing nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which has led to import restrictions by many foreign countries and a setback for its tourism industry.
Business leaders from Japan, China and South Korea called on their governments Sunday to conclude a trilateral free trade agreement at an early date so as to further regional economic growth.
''It is essential that we conclude such an FTA as early as possible,'' the top officials of the Japan Business Federation, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Federation of Korean Industries said in a joint statement.
The envisioned FTA ''will fill a vital gap'' in integrating the East Asian economies and ''play a crucial role'' in achieving greater economic integration that also involves the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other Pacific Rim countries.
Such a trilateral FTA ''is expected to reduce tariffs, abolish export controls, stimulate investment and trade in services...and encourage cross-border movement of'' personnel resources with specialized knowledge and skills, the statement said.
Kan, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak said in speeches delivered to the businessmen that it is important to move toward a trilateral FTA. They shared the view that the three countries should speed up a joint study on the issue.
The powerful business lobbies in the East Asian neighbors, who met on the sidelines of an annual summit of the three countries' political leaders, also agreed to promote standardization of energy-saving technologies as part of efforts to fight global warming.
Hiromasa Yonekura, chairman of the Japan Business Federation, known as Nippon Keidanren, emphasized in a speech the importance of signing a trilateral East Asian FTA.
''We reaffirmed the importance of integrating the regional economy in order to achieve a sustainable economic growth in Asia,'' Yonekura said.
As lessons from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, which severely disrupted supply chains for many manufacturers, the business leaders cited a need to collaborate with the public sector in providing support for devastated areas and sharing disaster-response experience and expertise.
They also agreed to enhance cooperation in order for the Japanese industrial sector to achieve recovery, according to the joint statement.
''Tokyo and wide areas of Japan are functioning as completely as before (the disasters), and Japan-made goods and products including farm produce maintain safety and high quality,'' Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said in his speech. ''I hope people in the business communities feel secure and buy those goods and that many people will travel to Japan.''
Japan's economy has been struggling with damage from the twin natural disasters as well as the ensuing nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which has led to import restrictions by many foreign countries and a setback for its tourism industry.
