KUALA LUMPUR: Asian countries can be a ‘dynamo’ for the world and contribute to global development and economic growth in the future, according to Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz (pix).
The former international trade and industry minister said Asia had a huge market for goods and services, and was also a human resource provider.
“By working together, the region can create its own future. The economic world has shifted. Aligning into Asia-Pacific will make the region come into focus.
“Now we can safely say that Asia has come into its own, catalysed by the growth and development of constituent countries, especially propelled by China and India,” she said in her keynote address at the Asia Marketing Federation (AMF) marketing conference, themed “Marketing Competitiveness: Asia to The World, In The Age of Digital Consumers”, here today.
Rafidah, who is also a National Economic Action Council member, said Asia was marching forward as the torchbearer for developing economies and was able to penetrate into new regional markets such as Africa.
“China, leading from the front, is now tapping into Africa. Asia is coming into its own without being dragged by developed countries,” she said.
Rafidah said that Asia, home to five of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world, was currently pulling in investors from developed countries.
“Asia used to be drowned by the world’s largest economies but today, the reverse is happening,” she said.
Rafidah added many Asians countries had transformed to be more forward-looking and optimistic.
The AMF conference focused on the development and sharing of industry knowledge, and also provided a platform for networking opportunities with marketing professionals and practitioners, chief executive officers, entrepreneurs, business owners, as well as academicians from over 17 Asian countries, including Malaysia. — Bernama
