Opening of the East Asia Summit Economic Ministers' Consultations
The conference facilitates countries to exchange views on regional and global issues affecting the East Asia region.
On the afternoon of August 30, the first East Asia Summit (EAS) Economic Ministers Consultation took place in Cambodia. The conference officially marked the birth of a new and important economic cooperation mechanism in the East Asia region in particular and the Asia-Pacific region in general.
Delegates attending the Conference
The conference was attended by Economic Ministers of 10 ASEAN countries and Economic Ministers and trade representatives of 8 countries participating in the East Asia Summit mechanism, including Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, the Russian Federation and the United States.
Delegates welcomed the decision to grant an official mechanism to the Economic Ministers' Consultation of the East Asia Summit countries, a forum that has been held informally since 2008, creating conditions for countries to exchange views on regional and global issues affecting the East Asia region as well as developments in the field of economic cooperation within the framework of the East Asia Summit initiative.
ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Surin Pitsuwan welcomed the first participation of representatives from Russia and India at the Conference and said that the wide participation of countries in the newly established mechanism demonstrates the strong support of the entire East Asia region for ASEAN's economic integration process.
“The East Asia Summit is a forum for dialogue on a wide range of economic, political and strategic issues of common interest and concern to countries, with the aim of enhancing peace, stability and economic development in the region,” said Dr. Surin Pitsuwan.
Vietnamese delegation attending the Conference
In addition to reiterating the region’s support for ASEAN’s efforts to build an Economic Community by 2015, the Ministers stressed the importance of continuing to promote ASEAN economic integration beyond 2015, with deeper engagement of the bloc in global economic networks. The Ministers also affirmed ASEAN’s central role in the East Asia Summit mechanism in promoting economic and trade cooperation for the common benefit of the entire region.
The eighteen countries participating in the East Asia Summit account for about half of the world's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In 2011, ASEAN's total trade value with the remaining eight countries in the East Asia Summit reached a whopping US$1,027 billion. Foreign investment from these eight countries also accounts for more than half of foreign direct investment in ASEAN./.
According to (vov.vn) - LT
