Regional Agenda World Economic Forum on East Asia

The 21st World Economic Forum on East Asia, held in Bangkok, Thailand, examined the role of connectivity in building regional resilience. Central to the discussions was the upcoming 2015 launch of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), which aims to create a single market and production base. While connectivity offers economic growth and competitiveness, participants warned it also increases exposure to global risks, such as the European debt crisis and natural disasters. The report emphasizes the need for both 'hard' infrastructure (transport and energy) and 'soft' infrastructure (education, health, and governance) to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth.

• The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), scheduled for launch in 2015, is intended to establish a single market and production base characterized by the free flow of goods, services, investment, and skilled labour, as well as a freer flow of capital.
• Regional connectivity is viewed as a double-edged sword; while it drives prosperity and resilience, it also exposes member economies to contagion from external shocks, such as the European debt crisis and global economic volatility.
• The 'ASEAN way' of integration—characterized by a gradual, consensus-based approach—is presented as a sustainable alternative to the European Union model, which is described as potentially counterproductive when forcing diverse economies to meet uniform standards.
• To achieve sustainable growth, the region must invest in both hard infrastructure and 'soft' infrastructure, including health, education, and the empowerment of women, to bridge income gaps and prevent the hollowing out of less developed economies.
• The Chiang Mai Initiative serves as a critical regional financial safety net, providing a US$ 240-billion multilateral currency swap arrangement to manage short-term liquidity problems and signal regional unity.
• Private investment in infrastructure across ASEAN was reported to be below 1% of GDP in 2010, representing a decline from 2001 when it was higher than 1.5%.
• Myanmar's political and economic reforms were highlighted as a significant development, with the country seeking to reconnect with the region and the world.

APA

World Economic Forum (2012). Regional Agenda World Economic Forum on East Asia. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/EA12/WEF_EA12_Report.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Regional Agenda World Economic Forum on East Asia. 2012. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/EA12/WEF_EA12_Report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Regional Agenda World Economic Forum on East Asia |date=2012 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/EA12/WEF_EA12_Report.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2012regional, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Regional Agenda World Economic Forum on East Asia}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2012}, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/EA12/WEF_EA12_Report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }