The 11th Asian Business Summit / Digital Conference Agenda (Final)

Date: November 6th, 2020

12:00-16:30 (Malaysian Time)

13:00 – 17:30 (Tokyo Time)

hosted by Keidanren, Japan

*Japanese / English simultaneous interpretation

Moderator: Mr. Masakazu Kubota, Director General, Keidanren

13:00-13:20 JT

Opening Session

Opening Remarks:  Mr. Nobuyuki Koga, Chairman of the Board of Councillors, Keidanren

Guest Speech: Mr. Yasutoshi  Nishimura, Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy and Minister in charge of Economic Revitalization

13:20-14:30 JT

Plenary Session I : Impact of COVID-19 & Challenges for post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery in member economies and Asia

 Session Moderator: Mr. Satoshi Mukuta, Senior Managing Director, Keidanren

Speakers:  5 Min / each

14:30-15:00 JT

15:00-16:00 JT

Plenary Session II : Challenges facing Asia

Session Moderator: Mr. Ichiro Hara, Managing Director, Keidanren

Speakers:  4 minutes / each

16:00-17:20 JT

Exchange of Views

Session Moderator: Mr. Ichiro Hara, Managing Director, Keidanren

17:20-17:30 JT

17:30 JT

Plenary Session 1

This session was titled “Impact of COVID-19 & Challenges for post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery in member economies and Asia”.

Mr Satoshi Mukuta, Senior Managing Director, Keidanren moderated.

The presenters for this session were the following:

From top-left, clockwise:

1. Mr Nobuyuki Koga, Chairman of the Board of Councillors, Keidanren
2. Mr Kalin Sarasin, Chairman, The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB)
3. Mr Zhang Shaogang¸Vice Chairman, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT)
4. Mr Uday Kotak, President, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
5. Mr Rosan Perkasa Roeslani, Chairman, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN)
6. Mr Tae-shin Kwon, Vice Chairman & CEO, Federation of Korean Industries (FKI)

From top-left, clockwise: 7. Tan Sri Azman Hashim, President, Malaysia-Japan Economic Association (MAJECA) 8. Mr Aye Tun, Joint Secretary General, The Republic of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) 9. Mr Gerard B. Sanvictores, Chairman, Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee (PHILJEC) 10. Mr Ho Meng Kit, CEO, Singapore Business Federation (SBF) 11. Dr Huang Mao-Hsiung, Honorary Chairman, Chinese East Asia Economic Association (CEAEA), Taiwan 12. Dr Vu Tien Loc, Chairman & President, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI)   The President of MAJECA, Tan Sri Azman Hashim sharing his insights.

5.0

Plenary Session 2

The second plenary session was titled “Challenges facing Asia”, and was split into four parts which were: trade policy, infrastructure, digitalization, and, environment and energy respectively.

This session was moderated by Mr Ichiro Hara, Managing Director, Keidanren.

The speakers for each session were as follows:

1. Trade Policy

From top-left, clockwise:

1.Mr Tae-shin Kwon, Vice Chairman & CEO, Federation of Korean Industries (FKI)

2.Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)

3.Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal,Vice President, Malaysia-Japan Economic Association (MAJECA)

4.Mr Shigeru Hayakawa, Vice Chair, Keidanren

Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal, Vice President of MAJECA speaking on the Trade Policy panel during Plenary Session 2.

2.Infrastructure

From top-left, clockwise:

1.Mr Rosan Perkasa Roeslani, Chairman, Indonesia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN)

2.Mr Chartchai Panichewa, Vice-Chairman, The Federation of Thai Industries

3.Mr Ye Min Aung, Vice President, The Republic of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI)

4.Mr Tatsuo Yasunaga, Vice Chair, Keidanren

3. Digitalization

From right to left:

1.Mr Zhu Hongren, Standing Vice Chairman, China Enterprise Confederation (CEC)

2.Dr Huang Mao-Hsiung, Honorary Chairman, Chinese East Asia Economic Association (CEAEC), Taiwan

3.Mr Ferdinand A. Ferrer, Treasurer, Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee (PHILJEC)

4.Mr Kobsak Duangdee, Secretary General, The Thai Bankers’ Association

5.Mr Kenichiro Yamanishi, Vice Chair, Keidanren

4. Environment and Energy
5. 

   Mr Kao Kuo-Lun, Vice Chairman, Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce (CNAIC), Taiwan

   

   Mr Hitoshi Ochi, Vice Chair, Keidanren

Following the end of the plenary sessions, the summit proceeded with an exchange of views with Mr Ichiro Hara, Managing Director, Keidanren continuing as moderator.

A collage of various role players exchanging their views and insights.

(from top-left, clockwise): Mr Ken Kobayashi, Vice Chair of the Board of Councillors, Keidanren; Chair of the Japan-Indonesia Economic Committee & Japan-Myanmar Economic Committee; Chairman of the Board, Mitsubishi Corporation, Mr Tatsuo Yasunaga, Vice Chair, Keidanren; President and CEO, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc., Mr Shinya Katanozaka, Vice Chair, Keidanren; President & CEO, ANA Holdings Inc.,  Mr Ichiro Hara, Managing Director, Keidanren, Mr Kenichiro Yamanishi, Vice Chair, Keidanren; Executive Corporate Adviser, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mr Takashi Yamauchi, Vice Chair, Keidanren; Chairman, Member of the Board, Taisei Corporation, Mr Nobuyuki Hirano, Vice Chair, Keidanren; Chairman, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc., and Mr Ho Meng Kit, CEO, Singapore Business Federation (SBF).

The 11th Asian Business Summit Joint Statement

On November 6, 2020, the 11th Asian Business Summit was held online with the participation of 14 business organizations representing 12 Asian Economies.

The global coronavirus pandemic has stifled business activities and created a set of extremely challenging conditions for the world economy. At this time, all members of the Asian business community should work closely and collaboratively with their governments and multilateral institutions to address and overcome these challenges. It was with this backdrop in mind that participants in the 11th Asian Business Summit gathered to discuss economic and industrial strategies for the current and post-pandemic eras as well as issues on regional cooperation in Asia.

The Summit began with a series of presentations by participating business organizations, which shared information on the status of the coronavirus pandemic in each economy and the countermeasures which their governments, business communities, and corporate sectors have implemented in response.

In the interest of protecting the lives, jobs, and livelihoods of their citizens, as well as their economies, we call on the governments of Asian economies to take prudent action aimed at balancing economic activities with measures to halt the expansion of the pandemic through the establishment of robust frameworks for the provision of needed medical care, stable delivery of medical supplies, and enhancement of support for businesses and workers. As members of the Asian business community, we are committed to assuming an active role, fully utilizing the resources at our command, and working together to achieve sustained business operations and employment levels as well as diversify and reinforce our supply chains.

It is imperative that we build from that foundation and transform the harsh realities of the current and post-pandemic eras into opportunities for further sustained growth. This Summit provided a forum to deepen our discussions on trade policy, infrastructure development, digitalization, environment, energy, and other issues confronting the Asian economy in the sphere of cooperation. As an outcome of that discussion, we arrived at a consensus on the importance of the following.

First, it is vital that we sustain and strengthen the free and open international economic system. To that end, efforts should be made to promote regional economic integration through early conclusion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement and the expansion of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). It is necessary to re-establish and enhance connectivity within the region disrupted by the pandemic through both qualitative and quantitative advances in infrastructure development. Furthermore, we will need progress in digital transformation (DX) through data free flow with trust and other growth strategies adapted to the “new normal” as well as promotion of RD&D and finance on environmental and energy technologies aimed at transition to a decarbonized society. To address these challenges, we are committed to speeding up our efforts through cooperation and call for measures in inter- and intra-governmental coordination.

Moving forward, we will continue to utilize the Asian Business Summit platform to discuss the issues facing Asia in fostering sustainable development and facilitate realization of the “Society 5.0 for SDGs” concept.

https://www.keidanren.or.jp/en/policy/2020/106.html