Delivered by
Mr. Roberto R. Romulo, Chairman of e-ASEAN Task Force
On the occasion of the First e-ASEAN Task Force Meeting

March 2, 2000, Shangri-La Hotel

Excellencies, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, as Chair of the e-ASEAN Task Force I’d like to welcome you this morning as we begin our formidable task towards the development of an ASEAN e-space or e-ASEAN.

As many of you know, during the ASEAN Informal Summit in November last year, our leaders indicated to the world the importance with which they held the developments in information technology by holding the first-ever dialogue with private sector it leaders from around the region. The ASEAN leaders were very clear in their interest to move the region as a whole into the information age, to reduce the digital divide and to help all ASEAN citizens benefit from the opportunities of the Internet world.

From that Informal Summit was born the e-ASEAN task force, which is a high-level advisory body whose mandate is to develop a broad and comprehensive action plan with the objective of evolving an ASEAN e-space, and to develop competencies within ASEAN to compete in the global information economy. This is the first time that an advisory body exists where each ASEAN leader has appointed a private sector and a public sector official to sit together to discuss and recommend policies and program of action that will develop the necessary physical, legal, logistical, social and economic infrastructure needed to successfully compete in the new information economy.

This will also the first time that an ASEAN advisory body will have to move at the speed of the Internet. Given the enormity of our task and the short time we have to fulfil it, the only way for us to succeed is if we move on ‘Internet time’.

While full of promise, the e-conomy of the 21st century is at the same time fraught with the risk that it will divide the world into new classes of economies – the “it haves” and the “it have nots” – just as earlier we had “industrial and non-industrial” economies. When industrial capacity was the benchmark for economic might, the number of machine tools or automobiles was used as indicators of economic capacity. Today the indicators are numbers of computers in use and the ease of access to information services such as the telephone or Internet cafe. As is apparent to all us, many of us in ASEAN fall in the wrong side of this emergent digital divide.

Fortunately, the technology that today threatens to further widen the gap between the information-rich and information-poor countries is the very same technology to achieving a more balanced global society. Development is people. It is not resources, not historical accident, not culture. So until people get access to information and knowledge and applications, no real development will take root. The fact is the cost of the new technology is becoming more and more affordable. Developing countries have an advantage in not being saddled with legacy systems and infrastructure and can therefore leapfrog into the newest technology. And the beauty of this technology is that it is global and can be applied nearly anywhere in the world. It is the professional skills – the creativity and the commitment to the challenge that count.

So to me achieving digital equality is a question of seizing the opportunities offered by the new technologies. It is a matter of political priorities and the utilization of skills and knowledge that we have. It needs visionary and brave leaders who will concentrate on opportunities instead of ruing their backwardness.

Fortunately, we have such leaders who recognize this fact. This is why we have gathered here today to fulfill the mandate they have given to provide advice and recommendations on how we can bring ASEAN forward into this brave new digital world under a strong public-private sector partnership.

So in the next two days we will begin to look at fundamental policy issues that must be addressed if ASEAN is to become it enabled and become a meaningful participant of the digital society of the future.

• e-ASEAN Industry Dialogue (Singapore, 5 April 2001)
  (44 kb)

• Chairman’s Press Statement: East Asia ICT Cooperation Conference
  17 September 2001, Okayama
  (28 kb)

• 4th ASEAN Informal Summit: Chairman’s Press Statement
  (32 kb)

• Hatch Camp for startups in Manila

• AII Feasibility Study
  (62 kb)

• AII White Paper
  (318 kb)

Facility exterminator provided by Orkin

1. Creating a Common IT Market
2. Enhancing Physical Infrastructure
3. Human Development
4. Promoting E-Commerce
5. Supporting E-Government

The primary aim of these activities is be to provide input into the comprehensive action plan, taking into account recommendations in the AII Feasibility Study undertaken by the Working Group on the ASEAN Information Infrastructure (WG-AII) and the White Paper on the AII prepared by the private sector core group. These activities will also put into perspective other urgent policy issues that would affect the establishment and operation of the e-Space and provide recommendations on ways of dealing with these.

• Keynote Address by H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Republic of the Philippines, to the 7th e-ASEAN Task Force Meeting (Makati City, 20 April 2001)
  (35 kb)

• Opening Speech by H.E. Dr. Mai Liem Truc at the 6th eASEAN Task Force Meeting, Hanoi
  (23 kb)

• Opening Remarks by Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minsiter of Commerce H.E. Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi at the Fourth e-ASEAN Task Force Meeting in Bangkok (9 October 2000)
  (40 kb)

• Keynote address by Minister of Energy, Communications and Multimedia Datuk Amar Leo Moggie, Malaysia, Third e-ASEAN Task Force Meeting (Kuala Lumpur, 1 August 2000)
  (45 kb)

• Remarks by e-ASEAN Task Force Chairman at IT Roundtable of Government & Business Leaders in Preparation for G-8 Summit (Tokyo, Japan, 19 July 2000)
  (25 kb)

• Japan PM Mori’s statement on e-ASEAN

• Keynote Address by Minister of State for Communications / IT Lim Swee Say – Second e-ASEAN Task Force Meeting
  (52 kb)

• Keynote Speech of DTI Secretary Mar Roxas – Opening Session of the First e-ASEAN Task Force Meeting
  (51 kb)

• The Chairman’s Opening Remarks

At the Conference Dinner for the “Sixth International Conference on the Future of Asia”

Hosted by Nihon Keizai Shimbun, 8 June 2000

“Of the four fields, I believe that Asia has tremendous potential for development especially in the field of information and telecommunications. I understand that this Conference on ‘The Future of Asia’ also includes discussions on the IT Revolution. Recognizing that information technology will gain importance as the key to prosperity in both developed and developing countries in the midst of globalization, which is expected to gain momentum as we move further into the 21st century, at the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit, we would like to exchange views on ways to make the benefits of the IT Revolution available to all of us. As the chair of the Group of Eight, Japan intends to exercise leadership in the cooperation with developing countries, and in this sense, I wish to put together a package of comprehensive assistance measures comprising four pillars. The first is intellectual assistance for policy formulation and institution building while promoting the awareness that IT holds opportunities for developing countries as well as developed ones. The second is assistance for human resources development, focusing on programs of training and education. The third is assistance for building the infrastructure and networks for information and telecommunications. And the fourth is promotion of utilization of IT through development aid.

“Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong of Singapore is advocating the e-ASEAN initiative and its expanded version – e-Asia Initiative – which includes the neighboring Asian countries in the region. I think that active promotion of these plans will be instrumental in bringing prosperity to Asia in the new century. Japan intends to cooperate actively in the e-Asia Initiative through steps such as assistance for the training of IT personnel and rule-making of electronic commerce, and would like to have consultations with ASEAN at the earliest possible timing.”

The Second e-ASEAN Task Force Meeting

April 24, 2000, The Pan-Pacific Hotel, Singapore

His Excellency Roberto Romulo, Chairman of the E-ASEAN Task Force,

Distinguished Members of the Task Force,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. On behalf of the Government of Singapore, I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all of you to the Second Meeting of the e-ASEAN Task Force here in Singapore. I had the pleasure of meeting your distinguished Chairman, His Excellency Mr Roberto Romulo, earlier this morning. He has shared with me the progress that the Task Force has been making in the past few months. I am greatly encouraged by your efforts.

POST-CRISIS ASEAN

1. The speed and severity of the regional economic crisis took many of us in ASEAN by surprise. The worst is now over. 2. The recovery was swift. The mood in ASEAN is once again one of confidence and optimism. At last November’s ASEAN Summit, the six original members of ASEAN agreed to bring forward the dateline for zero tariffs from 2015 to 2010. We remain committed to creating an environment conducive to the free flow of goods, investments and services. We have been to Japan in February, and are going to USA and Europe in May on roadshows to convince potential investors around the world that ASEAN’s recovery is firmly on track.

CHALLENGES FOR ASEAN

2. We are fully aware that post-crisis economic landscape will be very different. One key pre-occupation of economies around the world today is the advent of the “new economy”. There is a constant theme of peoples, countries and regions striving to be “plugged in” to this new economic order, lest they are marginalised and left by the wayside.

3. As of today, the US clearly has a head-start. The real strength of the US economy today is the effective and creative exploitation of technology. Internet penetration in the US is about 50%. However, it is only about 12.5% for Europe and only 2.5% for Asia. Europe and Asia will need to catch up quickly.

4. The Europeans are not taking this lightly. They are aware that they are behind in this game and are working hard to catch up. Just few weeks ago, the European leaders met in Lisbon and launched the “e-Europe – An Information Society For All” initiative. They aim to speed up the adoption of digital technologies across European economies and societies, and ensure that all Europeans have the necessary skills to use the technologies. They are putting in place new initiatives to achieve faster and cheaper access to Internet through greater competition, faster take-up of e-commerce, more comprehensive implementation of on-line government… and the list goes on.

5. Asia is on the move too. As part of its negotiation with the US for its entry into the WTO, China has committed to cut its overall tariff level from the current 22% to 17%. In the information-communications sector, China will allow 49% foreign ownership in telecommunications services immediately and 50% after two years. It will also allow foreign companies to invest in Chinese Internet Content Providers. By 2003, telecommunication services in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou will be fully opened to foreign participation. Producers of semi-conductor, telecommunications and information technology (IT) equipment will benefit from China’s signing of the IT Agreement (ITA), which commits China to eliminating tariffs on IT imports by 2005.

6. These are indeed bold moves by China to plug in to the New Global Economy. A recent study estimated that China’s WTO accession will add about 0.5 percentage points to her economic growth rates from 2005 and double her total trade with the rest of the world. China’s entry into the WTO will mean greater competition, and at the same time more opportunities for ASEAN. Overall, it should be good for ASEAN if we can collaborate, adapt and change to embrace the New Economy quickly.

ASEAN’S RESPONSE

7. The US, EU, China are all large and attractive markets. The US and EU also have tremendous strengths in term of talent and technology. We must not forget India too, which is also a hotbed for technology and talent. These countries are taking decisive steps to open up and get plugged in to the “new economy”. ASEAN, with its 500 million people, must likewise summon the will to do so, if we are not to be left along the wayside.

8. We in ASEAN will have to think hard about how we can best carve a niche for ourselves. ASEAN will need to respond decisively on how we can remain attractive as an investment region. The global economic landscape is changing fast. We either embrace liberalisation and technology, or become less competitive in economic growth and employment creation. Embracing the New Economy is one race we must run as fast as we can, as individual economies, as one region.

9. At the Third Informal ASEAN Summit in Manila last year, our leaders agreed to quickly establish a free trade area for goods, services and investments for the info-comms industries under a new e-ASEAN agreement. The vision is to create one seamless ASEAN market. e-ASEAN could be our strategic response and strategic link to e-Europe and the USA, resulting in a truly borderless global e-marketspace. The possibilities for ASEAN to play an greater role in the global cyberspace are only limited by our collective will and imagination.

10. The e-ASEAN Task Force has been given this great responsibility of developing a broad and comprehensive action plan for ASEAN to plug itself into the global e-space. As I understand from His Excellency Mr Romulo this morning, your work will take a holistic approach – covering the physical, legal, social, economic and government infrastructure aspects, and developing competencies within ASEAN to compete in the global information economy. You will also be proposing a few flagship projects in implementing e-ASEAN. I am confident that your collective efforts under the able leadership of HE Roberto Romulo will culminate in an e-ASEAN Agreement to be signed by the Leaders at the Informal Summit at the end of this year.

CONCLUSION

11. Technology is neutral. On the one hand, we will face greater competitive pressures from all over the world. On the other hand, we stand to gain from the abundance opportunities in the fast emerging “new economy”, if we act quickly, collectively.

12. The work of the Task Force will have great impact on the future competitiveness of ASEAN. The e-ASEAN Agreement that you are working hard to achieve will send an important signal to investors that ASEAN too is ready to be plugged into this “new economy”. It will help reinforce the message that post crisis ASEAN is in fact “cheaper, better and bigger”. “Cheaper” in operating cost, because the crisis has forced many of us to re-align our cost structure. “Better” in capabilities, because we undertake necessary structural reforms. “Bigger” in market potential, because through e-ASEAN, we will realise the vision of a common ASEAN marketplace in the New Economy.

13. It now leaves me to thank His Excellency, Mr Roberto Romulo and all members of the Task Force for your efforts and contribution. I wish you a fruitful deliberation over the next two days. Thank you.