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Andrew Weir Chairing the Belt and Road Meeting

: Collaboration as a mission, to create value, innovation and new opportunities for growth through free and open digitally enabled cross border Trade in APAC

5The Pacific Basin Economic Council Vision outlined for 2024-2027 ahead of its AGM 2024 – by Michael Walsh CEO PBEC – June 2024 Collaboration as a mission, to create value, innovation and new opportunities for growth through free and open digitally enabled cross border Trade in APAC Hello PBEC members, colleagues and followers. It’s a pleasure to share the latest mission and vision of the Pacific Basin Economic Council (PBEC) for the next three years- an organization that has been…

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: What are the benefits for Hong Kong business in joining RCEP trade area? – June 2024

A perspective from the Pacific Basin Economic Council (PBEC) on the potential benefits for Hong Kong businesses in joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade area should its current application be finally approved: The Pacific Basin Economic Council views Hong Kong’s application to join RCEP as a positive development that could deliver significant economic benefits for Hong Kong businesses. As an export-oriented economy with deep trade linkages across the Asia-Pacific region, Hong Kong’s membership in RCEP makes strategic sense….

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: PBEC’s GS1 Hong Kong celebrated its 35th Anniversary with a prestigious gala dinner at Ocean Park Marriott Hotel- Mar 2024

An impressive 35th Gala Anniversary Dinner was hosted by GS1 HK – many congratulations to PBEC’s BoD and GS1 CEO Anna Lin and her wonderful team. A very impressive turnout and PBEC members were excited to reconnect with so many peers and friends and collaborate on mutual beneficial areas of interest including our upcoming report.  It was a great opportunity to engage with Financial Secretary Paul Chan of HKSAR Government amongst others included Tencent, Cyberport, DF Group, DHL etc…..

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: PBEC’s BoD ICAEW hosted a Spring Networking Cocktail at the British Consulate in Hong Kong – Mar 2024

Several PBEC members and our Chairman were in attendance at a wonderfully hosted Spring Networking ICAEW event in HK at the British Consulate. It was great to see Chairman Andrew Weir saying a few words together with PBEC’s ICAEW Mary Simpson Director of Int’l Member Engagement – APAC & PBEC BoD Peter Burnett supporting this timely catch-up with Government representatives and friends.

: Singapore to Introduce Mandatory Climate Reporting Beginning 2025 – Mar 2024

Singapore will implement mandatory climate-related reporting requirements for listed and large non-listed companies, with obligations for some to begin disclosing in line with the IFRS’ International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) standards starting as early as 2025. The new rules were announced today in the Parliament of Singapore by Second Minister for Finance Chee Hong Tat, with details of the new mandatory reporting requirements subsequently released by Singapore’s business reporting, accounting and corporate services and markets regulators the Accounting and Corporate…

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: APEC Members Pursue New Approaches to Reignite the FTAAP – Mar 2024

APEC member economies are considering innovative and improved approaches to revitalize the Free-Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) as a major instrument to further APEC’s regional economic integration agenda. The FTAAP was envisioned by APEC Leaders in 2006 as a comprehensive free trade agreement built on regional undertakings. It was originally proposed by the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) 20 years ago. As host of APEC 2024, Peru is taking the lead to advance this agenda through a series of dialogues in…

APEC Peru Priorities

: APEC Peru 2024 Update

The APEC Peru 2024 priorities website, for its host year under the theme “Empower. Include. Grow”. You can now visit their website to learn more about the following #APECPeru2024 priorities: 1) Trade and investment for inclusive and interconnected growth. 2) Innovation and digitalization to promote the transition to the formal and global economy. 3) Sustainable growth for resilient development. Click here: https://www.apec.org/2024-peru-priorities

: Vietnam and Thailand lead trade growth as Asia resists economic downturn – Feb 2024

We have seen some encouraging end of 2023 results coming through these past week from Asian economies like Vietnam, Philippines and South Korea in particular export data, but whilst there is optimism for 2024 amongst economists for certain ASEAN economies including Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia & India. It can’t hide the fact overall there is still alot of risks around and a real lack of support for SME’s still suffering to adapt to the lack of demand and price sensitive consumers….

: Mutual 30-Day Visa-Exemption Arrangement Between Singapore and The People’s Republic Of China – Feb 2024

30 days Visa Free travel reciprocated between Singapore and China. 🇨🇳 On January 25, representatives of the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Singapore signed the Agreement between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Singapore on Mutual Visa Exemption for Ordinary Passport Holders in Beijing. The agreement entered into force on February 9, 2024 (Lunar New Year’s Eve). Read More: https://www.ica.gov.sg/news-and-publications/newsroom/media-release/mutual-30-day-visa-exemption-arrangement-between-singapore-and-the-people-s-republic-of-china