ID :
202319
Fri, 08/19/2011 - 12:05
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/202319
The shortlink copeid
FINANCE MORE ASEAN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, CHINA URGED
NANNING (China), Aug 19 (Bernama) -- China has been urged to finance more infrastructure projects in Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) to help achieve the aim of the Master Plan on Asean Connectivity.
Chief executive officer of Malaysian think tank Asian Strategy and
Leadership Institute (Asli), Dr Michael Yeoh, said Asean leaders recently adopted the master plan, which focuses on physical, institutional and people connectivity.
"China should invest more in Asean countries, especially in financing infrastructure projects to promote closer connectivity between the people of China and Asean," he said.
Yeoh said this at the Pan-Beibu Gulf Think Tank Summit-Regional Connectivity and Cross-Border Cooperation, in conjunction with the 6th Pan-Beibu Gulf Economic Cooperation Forum here on Friday.
He said physical connectivity would also bring Asean closer to China via the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link, Trans-Asean Highway to Nanning, Trans-Asean Gas pipeline project as well as enchanced maritime transport connectivity between ports of southern China and Asean.
"The establishment of the Asean Infrastructure Fund can serve as a mechanism where China can work closely with Asean to realise some of the infrastructure projects under the Master Plan on Asean Connectivity," he said.
Yeoh said the Chinese renminbi could be made an international currency.
"Renminbi has become a settlement currency for trade in East Asia but many of us would like to see the possibility of it becoming the reserve currency in the world," he said.
He urged China to promote the China-Asean Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), saying it would be the largest beneficiary from the bilateral FTAs.
Asean is China's third largest trading partner while China is Malaysia's largest trading partner. Malaysia is China's eighth largest trading partner globally.
Yeoh said China-Asean cooperation has grown from strength to strength, pointing out that after the implementation of CAFTA, trade increased by over 55 per cent.
"Trade between Asean and China grew by an average of 26 per cent per annum between 2003 and 2008.
"China's exports to Asean increased by 45 per cent while imports rose by 64 per cent," he said.
On the non-traditional areas of cooperation, Yeoh said, China could help meet Asean's manpower needs by providing education and training opportunities for Asean countries.
"China-Asean should also focus on developing a mutual recognition agreement for educational cooperation to move forward," he said.
He said China could play an important role in meeting the food security needs of Asean countries.
"China-Asean could also cooperate in healthcare, reform of the international financial system, cyber crimes, as well as natural disaster management and rescue operations in the region," he said.
-- BERNAMA
Chief executive officer of Malaysian think tank Asian Strategy and
Leadership Institute (Asli), Dr Michael Yeoh, said Asean leaders recently adopted the master plan, which focuses on physical, institutional and people connectivity.
"China should invest more in Asean countries, especially in financing infrastructure projects to promote closer connectivity between the people of China and Asean," he said.
Yeoh said this at the Pan-Beibu Gulf Think Tank Summit-Regional Connectivity and Cross-Border Cooperation, in conjunction with the 6th Pan-Beibu Gulf Economic Cooperation Forum here on Friday.
He said physical connectivity would also bring Asean closer to China via the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link, Trans-Asean Highway to Nanning, Trans-Asean Gas pipeline project as well as enchanced maritime transport connectivity between ports of southern China and Asean.
"The establishment of the Asean Infrastructure Fund can serve as a mechanism where China can work closely with Asean to realise some of the infrastructure projects under the Master Plan on Asean Connectivity," he said.
Yeoh said the Chinese renminbi could be made an international currency.
"Renminbi has become a settlement currency for trade in East Asia but many of us would like to see the possibility of it becoming the reserve currency in the world," he said.
He urged China to promote the China-Asean Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), saying it would be the largest beneficiary from the bilateral FTAs.
Asean is China's third largest trading partner while China is Malaysia's largest trading partner. Malaysia is China's eighth largest trading partner globally.
Yeoh said China-Asean cooperation has grown from strength to strength, pointing out that after the implementation of CAFTA, trade increased by over 55 per cent.
"Trade between Asean and China grew by an average of 26 per cent per annum between 2003 and 2008.
"China's exports to Asean increased by 45 per cent while imports rose by 64 per cent," he said.
On the non-traditional areas of cooperation, Yeoh said, China could help meet Asean's manpower needs by providing education and training opportunities for Asean countries.
"China-Asean should also focus on developing a mutual recognition agreement for educational cooperation to move forward," he said.
He said China could play an important role in meeting the food security needs of Asean countries.
"China-Asean could also cooperate in healthcare, reform of the international financial system, cyber crimes, as well as natural disaster management and rescue operations in the region," he said.
-- BERNAMA
