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The 13thASEAN Leadership Forum Concluded in SuccessBy ASEAN-China Centre (ACC)

The 13thASEAN Leadership Forum

On 7 August 2016, the 13thASEAN Leadership Forum ended in success in Vientiane.

CEO of Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI) Dr. Tan Sri Michael Yeoh and Chairman of ASEAN Business Advisory Council and Executive Vice President of Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mr. Oudet Souvannavong made concluding remarks, respectively.

Dr. Tan Sri Michael Yeoh expressed gratitude to the exciting remarks made by the representatives, and hoped that this forum had provided an opportunity to learn about ASEAN and its future. The 14thASEAN Leadership Forum will be held in Manila in April 2017.

Mr. Oudet Souvannavong expressed thanks to ASLI for choosing the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry as the co-host of this high-level forum. He welcomed participants to revisit Lao PDR to experience the charm of its scenery.

The ASEAN Leadership Forum included four topics: 1. Leadership for the Future: ASEAN the Next 20 Years--Where Do We Go from Here; 2. Towards RCEPHow Business Can Benefit from Closer Economic Integration and Connectivity; 3. China-Hong Kong-ASEAN Partnership: Growing Together for Shared Prosperity; 4. Digital Transformation and Disruptive Technology: Making a Difference in ASEAN. About 20 guests from the governments of ASEAN countries, Hong Kong SAR Government, international organizations, friendship associations, chambers of commerce, academia and media discussed these topics with fruitful achievements.

The speaking representatives noted that, with the establishment of ASEAN Economic Community, ASEAN would be a more competitive economic entity. ASEAN should take the opportunity to further promote integration to increase internal motivation of improvement, so as to accomplish balanced and substantial development. Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) would promote cooperation on trade and investment, and increase the East Asian economic integration, so as to offer more business opportunities to ASEAN and dialogue partners. Digital economy would help innovate the commercial mode and, as a result, enhance the effi ciency. ASEAN was doing research on the utilization of digital technology in economy, industry and education and so on.