Asia-Pacific business leaders are urging APEC governments to work together to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and to adopt a strong Vision that demonstrates APEC members’ collective commitment to international cooperation and serves as a framework for the sustained economic recovery and growth of the region.

The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) met virtually today, in the lead up to the meeting of APEC Economic Leaders on 20 November 2020.

“These are unprecedented times, demanding bold responses. The world faces the greatest health and economic crisis of a hundred years,” said the Chair of ABAC, Dato Rohana Tan Sri Mahmood. “These challenges demand cooperation, coordination and collaboration.  We are strongest when we act together.” 

Dato Rohana added that this was a major theme for ABAC. “We are calling for a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific. The values that have guided us this year – of integration, innovation and inclusion – are critical to recovery for us all.”

“We want a region that responds collectively to shared challenges. A region that values the connections between us – including free and open trade and investment, and a dynamic digital economy.  Neighbours who help each other in times of need, respect each other’s differences, andremain committed to greater inclusion and equity.  A region that protects its natural environment, including taking urgent action on climate change,” Dato Rohana added. 

Dato Rohana noted that these ideas underpinned the recommendations that ABAC has conveyed in this year’s Report to APEC Economic Leaders.

Dato Rohana explained that ABAC’s Report builds on the recommendations made in July to Trade Ministers on tackling the immediate crisis.    She added that, crisis response remains a pressing concern in many economies, and requires an ongoing focus on ensuring access to essential medical supplies and services, including a vaccine; keeping supply chains functioning and avoiding fragmented policy approaches, including in the digital economy and the safe resumption of travel. These would serve to revive the business activities and market demand that would accelerate global economic recovery.

For the longer term, ABAC had focused on three main areas.

“First, economic integration has been APEC’s touchstone for quarter of a century, and will be fundamental to a return to growth.  That means building the foundations for a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, and championing the multilateral rules-based trading system, with the World Trade Organisation at its core. 

“We need to prioritise policies that are conducive to international trade, resist calls to undercut competitiveness with protectionist quick fixes, and ensure that the WTO remains relevant and fit-for-purpose” added Dato Rohana. 

The second major area was innovation.  Dato Rohana added that the pandemic had dramatically demonstrated not only the importance of digital connectivity, but also the need to target disparities in internet access, digital skills and policies to foster an open, non-discriminatory and coherent digital economy.

Finally, Dato Rohana noted that COVID-19 had simultaneously made greater inclusion a more difficult goal to achieve, but also a more imperative one.  “We cannot ignore the issue of rising inequality and the ever-greater discontent and loss of trust that it fosters.  In rebuilding now, we must lift up the smallest of our businesses, women, our indigenous communities, youth, and other disadvantaged groups,” said Dato Rohana. “Our economic recovery must not leave these groups behind.”

She added that these elements would all go to building greater resilience – especially as the region faced not only the risk of future health crises, but also accelerating climate change.  “There is an urgent need to reverse the dramatic decline in the health of our planet and embrace the transition to a low-carbon economy.  We owe this to our people – to the communities of future generations – and we cannot fail to take action,” concluded Dato Rohana. 

Asia-Pacific business leaders are urging APEC governments to work together to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and to adopt a strong Vision that demonstrates APEC members’ collective commitment to international cooperation and serves as a framework for the sustained economic recovery and growth of the region.

The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) met virtually today, in the lead up to the meeting of APEC Economic Leaders on 20 November 2020.

 “These are unprecedented times, demanding bold responses. The world faces the greatest health and economic crisis of a hundred years,” said the Chair of ABAC, Dato Rohana Tan Sri Mahmood. “These challenges demand cooperation, coordination and collaboration.  We are strongest when we act together.”

Dato Rohana added that this was a major theme for ABAC. “We are calling for a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific. The values that have guided us this year – of integration, innovation and inclusion – are critical to recovery for us all.”

“We want a region that responds collectively to shared challenges. A region that values the connections between us – including free and open trade and investment, and a dynamic digital economy.  Neighbours who help each other in times of need, respect each other’s differences, and remain committed to greater inclusion and equity.  A region that protects its natural environment, including taking urgent action on climate change,” Dato Rohana added.

Dato Rohana noted that these ideas underpinned the recommendations that ABAC has conveyed in this year’s Report to APEC Economic Leaders.

Dato Rohana explained that ABAC’s Report builds on the recommendations made in July to Trade Ministers on tackling the immediate crisis.    She added that, crisis response remains a pressing concern in many economies, and requires an ongoing focus on ensuring access to essential medical supplies and services, including a vaccine; keeping supply chains functioning and avoiding fragmented policy approaches, including in the digital economy and the safe resumption of travel. These would serve to revive the business activities and market demand that would accelerate global economic recovery.

For the longer term, ABAC had focused on three main areas.

“First, economic integration has been APEC’s touchstone for quarter of a century, and will be fundamental to a return to growth.  That means building the foundations for a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, and championing the multilateral rules-based trading system, with the World Trade Organisation at its core.

“We need to prioritise policies that are conducive to international trade, resist calls to undercut competitiveness with protectionist quick fixes, and ensure that the WTO remains relevant and fit-for-purpose” added Dato Rohana.

The second major area was innovation.  Dato Rohana added that the pandemic had dramatically demonstrated not only the importance of digital connectivity, but also the need to target disparities in internet access, digital skills and policies to foster an open, non-discriminatory and coherent digital economy.

Finally, Dato Rohana noted that COVID-19 had simultaneously made greater inclusion a more difficult goal to achieve, but also a more imperative one.  “We cannot ignore the issue of rising inequality and the ever-greater discontent and loss of trust that it fosters.  In rebuilding now, we must lift up the smallest of our businesses, women, our indigenous communities, youth, and other disadvantaged groups,” said Dato Rohana. “Our economic recovery must not leave these groups behind.”

She added that these elements would all go to building greater resilience – especially as the region faced not only the risk of future health crises, but also accelerating climate change.  “There is an urgent need to reverse the dramatic decline in the health of our planet and embrace the transition to a low-carbon economy.  We owe this to our people – to the communities of future generations – and we cannot fail to take action,” concluded Dato Rohana.

Braulio Carbajal Periódico La Jornada

Nota original: https://www.jornada.com.mx/2020/11/16/economia/026n1eco
Lunes 16 de noviembre de 2020, p. 26

Aunque se ha especulado que el conflicto entre Estados Unidos y China servirá para atraer más inversiones del país asiático a México, especialistas y académicos dudan de que esto sea posible, pues aseguran que el país no ha trabajado para que eso sea posible, además de que persiste la desconfianza de los inversionistas por la serie de proyectos chinos que se han cancelado en años recientes.

Hace apenas unos días China presentó su nuevo plan de desarrollo económico quinquenal, en el que buscará un desarrollo económico sostenido y saludable con énfasis en una mayor calidad de crecimiento. Al respecto, Enrique Dussel Peters, investigador de la Universidad Autónoma de México (UNAM), destacó que ésta es una nueva oportunidad para el país, pero no será fácil aprovecharla.

Enfatizó que desde hace 20 años se han abierto posibilidades de incrementar la relación comercial con el país asiático, pero lamentablemente todas han sido desperdiciadas por falta de interés, entendimiento y estrategia.

Desgraciadamente en las últimas administraciones, incluyendo la actual, no hay estrategia a corto, mediano y largo plazos respecto de China, no hay una propuesta detallada de lo que China viene discutiendo, sólo volteamos a verlos cuando estamos en crisis o en problemas, y eso nos va costar, porque no hay duda que en unos años se convertirá en la economía más grande del mundo, advirtió el especialista.

Para Sergio Ley, presidente de la sección para Asia y Oceanía del Consejo Mexicano de Comercio Exterior (Comce), se ha exagerado en el entusiasmo de que el conflicto comercial entre Estados Unidos y China beneficiará a México, porque el país no tiene ninguna estrategia concreta para atraer las inversiones de la nación asiática.

Además, resaltó el también ex embajador de México en China, en aquel país nos ven con desconfianza, como consecuencia de los múltiples proyectos con capital chino que se han cancelado en los últimos años como el Tren México-Querétaro en 2014 o el centro comercial Dragon Mart, de Cancún en 2015.

Asimismo, dijo el experto, las modificaciones en temas de energía renovable no han sido de ayuda, pues entre las afectadas se encuentran cinco empresas chinas con importantes inversiones en proyectos eólicos y solares.

Al respecto, Dussel Peters resaltó que la relación México-China es como de realismo mágico, pues se puede decir que es formalmente buena, pero por parte de los tomadores de decisiones mexicanos, ya sea funcionarios o instituciones, no hay un plan concreto que vaya más allá de las ocurrencias.

Lo anterior, apuntó, es dramático, pues es un grave error desairar a la que será la economía más grande del mundo: China no es una opción, es una necesidad.

Para Ley, en un contexto como el actual, en el que México está sumergido en una profunda crisis económica, es de vital importancia que comience a trabajar en su relación comercial con el país asiático, pero sin descuidar la que tiene con Estados Unidos, que es la más importante por cuestiones de cercanía.

Ambos especialistas coincidieron en que es poco factible que haya una inundación de inversiones chinas en México, pero se debe comenzar por diseñar una estrategia: Debemos ser escépticos de estos automatismos que dicen que México de forma milagrosa se verá beneficiado, en el comercio no hay milagros, sino resultados de trabajo, y eso no se está haciendo.