From June 03, 2013 until June 05, 2013
At Canada, Vancouver
Categories: PECC Events
Hits: 2564
The 21st PECC General Meeting
CanadaAsia 2013
"Navigating Asia’s Future, Charting Canada’s Strategy"
June 03 - June 05, 2013
Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, Vancouver BC, Canada
|
Monday, June 03 |
|
|
1800 - 2130 |
Welcome Reception and Dinner Moderator:
Speakers:
(Performance by Ms. Wanting Qu, Vancouver’s Tourism Ambassador to China) |
|
Tuesday, June 04 |
|
|
0830 - 1025 |
Opening Plenary Key Trends Shaping the Asia Pacific This session will examine the latest economic, political, and social trends in the Asia Pacific, identifying the emerging opportunities and uncertainties in the region. Will slower economic growth be the norm in Asia over the next few years and how will this affect both the regional and global economy? What will be the impact of a rapidly growing urban population, particularly one with an increasing middle class with evolving needs and expectations, and how will Asia meet the need for balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovation and secure growth? In this opening plenary, a diverse group of experts and leaders share their knowledge on what we should know about the future of the Asia Pacific. Chair:
Moderator:
Speakers:
|
|
1025-1040 |
Break |
|
1040 - 1200 |
Plenary Session Asia Pacific Trade Talks: Complementary or Cross-cutting? The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the proposed Pacific Alliance are three regional trade negotiations that have the potential to reshape economic relations in the Asia Pacific. The TPP, which is entering its 17th round of negotiations, is comprised of 12 economies including the United States and Japan. The RCEP, which held its first round of negotiations in early May 2013, has a membership of 16 economies including China and India. The Pacific Alliance is an emerging Latin American trade bloc with an orientation towards Asia. As regional trade negotiations proliferate, we ask experts: how will these different tracks shape regional economic relations, what do they mean for regional business and trade, are they competing or complementary, and can they in the long-term support regional aspirations for free and open markets in the Asia Pacific? Chair:
Moderator:
Speakers:
|
|
1200 - 1230 |
Keynote Address by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada
|
|
1230 - 1330 |
Networking Lunch |
|
1330 - 1500 |
Concurrent Breakout Sessions Breakout Session 1 Despite ample high-yielding investment opportunities being available in the Asia Pacific region, global capital is still drawn to western industrialized countries and to traditional financial centers such as New York and London. Even with massive pools of capital accumulating in Asia, the underdevelopment of capital markets has meant that relatively few of these savings are deployed within the region. In recognition of the enormous infrastructure needs and growth potential of Asia, there is a growing need for financial market development and integration in the region. More efficient financial markets in Asia could be a transformative factor in the next phase of Asian growth and in the global financial services industry. Our expert panelists will discuss what needs to be done, how it might happen, and what it will mean for international capital markets.
Moderator:
Speakers:
Breakout Session 2 Economic growth in Asia is increasingly driven by a shift from low-margin and labor-intensive manufacturing to value-added products and services. The relatively rapid industrialization achieved by South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore depended on an accelerated movement towards knowledge-based industries - in particular, information and telecommunication technologies, but also considerable progress made in other areas such as life sciences and biotechnology. A similar picture is emerging in other leading nations, most prominently China and India. Today, Asia companies are positioning themselves to be global innovators and half of the top 50 patenting firms in the world are based in China, Japan and South Korea. Given these developments, is creativity and innovation the “New, New Thing” in Asia, and what’s next? What is the future of innovation in Asia? Chair:
Moderator:
Speakers:
Breakout Session 3 Rapid economic growth in the Asia Pacific region has created various new opportunities and has led to the rise of Asia’s now-booming middle class. Yet, poverty and developmental challenges persist. In fact, there is increasing evidence that there are rising inequities across regions and within the countries in Asia Pacific. There are growing concerns about the ability of certain segments of the population, including women, youth, small businesses and the poor, to access economic opportunities. Promoting inclusive growth is important for humanitarian, societal, political and economic reasons. In this session, we explore what Indonesia, Myanmar, and Chile are doing to promote inclusive growth, what challenges Chair:
Moderator:
Speakers:
|
|
1500 - 1515 |
Break |
|
1515 - 1645 |
Concurrent Breakout Sessions Breakout Session 1 With rapidly growing urban centers, shifting weather patterns and the threat of natural resource exhaustion some countries in the Asia Pacific are investing in green strategies and policy reforms directed at promoting sustainable growth and development. For example, China announced in 2011 that it would invest a massive US$536 billion over five years in areas including conservation, green technology deployment and pollution reduction, to protect its environment. Meanwhile, South Korea has worked towards promoting its vision of a “Low Carbon, Green Growth” future. There is an urgent need for a sustainable approached in Asia, and the real question is whether the current focus on green growth is a passing fad or if it will propel Asian countries to become leaders in the green economy.
Chair:
Moderator:
Speakers:
Breakout Session 2 Demand and competition in the Asia Pacific over resources such as energy, food, water, and even talent and skills, could undermine the peaceful development of the region and have broader implications globally. Natural disasters and climate change are also posing increasing risks to lives, livelihoods and economic growth. How serious are these threats? What policies are countries adopting to address them? What role can regional processes play in addressing these challenges? Chair:
Moderator:
Speakers:
|
|
1645 - 1745 |
Networking Reception |
|
Wednesday, June 05 |
|
|
0845 - 1005 |
Plenary Session The year 2012 was eventful for Canada’s partners in Asia. The United States’ “rebalancing” towards Asia was reinforced by an announcement that the United States will deploy more troops and assets to the Asia Pacific region. In Australia, Prime Minister Julia Gillard unveiled her government’s vision of “Australia in the Asian Century”. In South America, countries such as Chile are expanding their relations with key Asian partners. Meanwhile, South Korea continues to negotiate a wide range of free trade agreements with Asia Pacific powers. What can Canada learn from the policies adopted by other regional players? Experts will provide their insights and reflect on the relevance of their experience for a Canadian response to the rise of Asia. Chair:
Moderator:
Speakers:
|
|
1005 - 1020 |
Break |
|
1020 - 1135 |
Concurrent Breakout Sessions Breakout Session 1 Asia’s booming middle class in metropolitan cities is an attractive consumer market for service providers in the engineering, financial, professional, and education sectors. Service providers have traditionally faced barriers on the ability to establish wholly-owned local subsidiaries and the non-recognition of foreign professional credentials. The opening of the banking sector in China, and possibly the retail sector in India, may signal the gradual liberalization of the service sector in Asia. However, many barriers still remain. In this session, Asian experts and Canadian service Chair:
Moderator:
Speakers:
Breakout Session 2 As Canada seeks to fully engage in the Asia Pacific region, what role is there for Canada in shaping regional cooperation and stability? In the face of growing prosperity, rising inequality and tensions, Canada’s resources and strategic insights could be of value. For Canada, the salient questions are what role does Asia play in Canada’s strategic equation and how does the promotion of stability in Asia advance Canada’s foreign policy goals? Should Canada reconsider its current stance and seek to play a larger role in advancing peace and stability in the region, and who in Canada should be at Chair:
Moderator:
Speakers:
|
|
1135 - 1145 |
Break |
|
1145 - 1300 |
Concurrent Breakout Sessions Breakout Session 1 According to OECD, green growth is “about maximizing economic growth and development while avoiding unsustainable pressure on the quality and quantity of natural assets. It is also about harnessing the growth potential that arises from transiting towards a green economy” Given the green needs and aspirations of Asian economies, what role can Canada play in supporting their green growth? What tools and programs are needed to facilitate business transactions and a transfer of knowledge?
Moderator:
Speakers:
Breakout Session 2 Do Canadian business, government and civil society leaders have the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in an Asia-centered world and are Canadians prepared to compete in an international environment increasingly influenced by developments in Asia? Recent polls suggest that Canadians recognize the importance of Asia to Canada’s future prosperity, but that there is little consensus, for adapting existing education, investment, trade and immigration policies to facilitate engagement with Asia. What steps and programs are necessary to overcome these challenges and to equip Canadians with a deep appreciation and understanding of the region?
Moderator:
Speakers:
|
|
1300 - 1305 |
Closing Remarks
|
|
1305 - 1400 |
Networking Lunch
|