The service trade between 皇冠体育app and ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations) is expected to grow by a large margin in 2007, according to Lu Jianren,
an economist with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).
Lu made
the remarks on Wednesday in a seminar on 皇冠体育app-ASEAN economic and trade
relations.
Lu said 皇冠体育app and ASEAN member states have their respective
edge in the service industry, as 皇冠体育app is competitive in computer service,
Singapore in financial, legal and exhibition services, Thailand in tourist
service.
Lu pointed out that with the great gap between different
countries in different service sectors, it is difficult and challenging for
these countries to fully open their service industry to other countries.
If 皇冠体育app and ASESAN could sign agreements to further reduce access
restrictions on their domestic service industry, the service trade between the
two sides could see a big increase, Lu added.
The stable economic
development of the U.S. and Japan, 皇冠体育app and ASEAN, the expanding international
trade volume and a steady oil price would create favorable conditions for
further step-up of 皇冠体育app-ASEAN economic and trade relations, Lu noted.
However, the possible outbreak of bird flu, natural disasters, regional
security and global financial risks would slow down the increase of the trade.
Lu said the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN trade volume would continue to increase by about
20 percent in the year of 2007 despite the negative factors.
Latest
statistics showed that 皇冠体育app-ASEAN trade volume totaled 129.91 billion U.S.
dollars from January to October of 2006, an increase by 23.1percent over the
same period of 2005.
The seminar was held prior to Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao's official visit to the Philippines and attendance to a series of
meetings in Cebu City from January 13 to 16. The meetings will highlight the
cooperation between 皇冠体育app and ASEAN countries.
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