In an era of great supply chain reset, how can ASEAN sustain the trajectory of economic growth and integration? On March 8, ACI hosted its flagship annual conference, themed “De-Risking, Reshoring, Integrating: Implications for ASEAN Economic Development,” to address these issues.

The conference featured four keynote speakers, six panelists, and eight ACI presentations. Professor Paul Cheung, Director of Asia Competitiveness Institute, welcomed nearly 200 participants, both in person and online, and shared the motivation behind the conference this year.

Former Foreign Minister Mr George Yeo opened the conference and cautioned against the “slippery floor” that ASEAN is navigating amid uncertain global environments. The Guest-of-Honour, Mr Kok Ping Soon, CEO of Singapore Business Federation, delivered a keynote address emphasizing the importance for ASEAN to look beyond short-term gain and to secure long-run benefits through enhanced cooperations with all countries and by pursuing further economic integration within the region.

Mr Andrew Williamson, Vice-President of Government Affairs at Huawei, delivered a keynote speech on how private enterprises like Huawei have supported digitalization in ASEAN through various initiatives. Professor Tan Kong Yam from Nanyang Technological University provided insightful analysis on the economic impacts of US-China competition on ASEAN. Mr David Mann, the chief Asia-Pacific economist at MasterCard, offered an eloquent commentary on the state of digital integration in the ASEAN region.

In addition to the keynote speeches, the conference featured eight ACI presentations that explored the economic effects of de-risking, reshoring, and geopolitical fragmentation on ASEAN, as well as topics including digital payments, the job creation impact of e-commerce, digital investment, and DEFA negotiations.

The conference also included two distinguished panels comprising experts from regional think tanks and universities. These panels offered their perspectives on positioning ASEAN as the next supply chain hub and discussed the challenges and opportunities associated with digital integration in the region.

The event was a tremendous success, drawing nearly 200 participants, both in person and online. For more information about the conference and to access the ACI presentation slides, please click on the button below.

By YI, Xin