The future outlook is bright, supported by strengthened economic fundamentals and internal resilience. These characteristics have seen the region through external shocks such as the SARS outbreak of 2003 and the tsunami disaster of 2004. ASEAN members have very diverse comparative advantages in a number of sectors, ranging from agriculture and resource-based industries to high-tech manufacturing and knowledge-based industries. Collectively, they form a highly competitive production base, stemming from the wide array of available business infrastructures and productive inputs.
Continuous commitments to further integrate trade and investment in the region and pave the way for the new ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2020 will harness the unique strengths of each country and enhance the latent synergies. Furthermore, regional cooperation initiatives such as the Asian Bond Market Initiative (ABMI) will help drive the region’s abundant savings towards sustainable long-term economic expansion. Strategically located between India (South Asia) and China (East Asia), ASEAN is well placed to continue its role as the new growth engine for Asia. The distinctive productive quality and geographical advantage provide a basis for the strong upside potential for investment opportunities.
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