Start Date
Jan 15, 2025 at 9:00 AM
End Date
Jan 15, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Location
Penang, Malaysia
Venue
Eastern & Oriental Hotel
The East Asia Business Council (EABC) Malaysia Chapter successfully convened the "EABC Seminar on Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Revolution: Maximise Your Trade Potential!" on January 15, 2025, at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel in Penang, Malaysia. This significant event gathered 150 participants from across the East Asia region.
RCEP, one of the world's largest free trade agreements encompassing 15 Asia-Pacific economies, represents a substantial portion of global population and GDP. Recognising the opportunities presented by RCEP, the seminar aimed to showcase how leveraging tools like the ASEAN Tariff Finder can empower businesses to thrive in the global marketplace.
The event commenced with welcoming remarks by Tan Sri Azman Hashim, EABC Chair 2025, followed by a keynote address from Dr Sugumari S. Shanmugam, Senior Director of the ASEAN Economic Integration Division at the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI). Key presentations included:
"RCEP versus ASEAN+1 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) – Which is Best for Your Business?" by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Andrew Kam Jia Yi, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS, UKM) and an Associate Professor in Economics.
"ASEAN Tariff Finder - Your Tool to Unlock Trade Opportunities" by Mr Garlan Ayoga Irawan from the ASEAN Secretariat.
The seminar also featured a panel discussion on "Sharing of Best Practices in FTA Promotion Activities," with presentations from:
- Mr Kraisin Vongsurakrai, Deputy Secretary General, The Board of Trade of Thailand
- Dr Jeffrey Wilson, Director of Research and Economics, Australian Industry Group
- Mr Yasufumi Otaki, Senior Director, JETRO Jakarta
The panel discussion was moderated by Mr Kenji Horie, Senior Project Manager at the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Following the seminar, positive feedback was received from participants regarding the relevance of the content for businesses seeking to capitalise on RCEP.
Prepared by: Jess Chong, EABC Focal Point
Date: January 16, 2025