The members of the ERIA Governing Board held discussions on wide-ranging issues impacting on regional economic development with ambassadors and representatives from ASEAN+6 countries, as well as with the representatives of Mongolia, the Russian Federation, and the United States (US) in separate meetings.

The meetings were part of the 8th Governing Board Meeting (GBM), which took place at the ASEAN Secretariat on 5 June 2015. During the morning session, the GBM, as the supreme decision-making body of ERIA, adopted a statement detailing the outcome of the discussions and outlining the necessary actions that ERIA needs to focus on to contribute to ASEAN and East Asia community building.

In the afternoon, the GBM resumed, joined by Permanent Representatives from ASEAN and ambassadors from ASEAN+6 countries, which is composed of the 10 ASEAN member countries, plus Australia, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, and New Zealand.

Professor Hidetoshi Nishimura, President of ERIA, opened the discussion with a comprehensive report of ERIA's work over the past year. He said that ERIA will continue to promote ASEAN economic integration and expressed the hope that the ASEAN Chair, Malaysia, would be able to use the outcomes of ERIA's numerous research projects. Prof. Nishimura also emphasised that ERIA would assist Lao PDR to prepare for the ASEAN chairmanship next year.

The GBM also held separate, bilateral meetings with the representatives of Mongolia, the Russian Federation, and the US to explore areas of cooperation.

H.E. Lundeg Purevsuren, Foreign Minister of Mongolia, outlined his country's economic development policy and diplomacy. He stressed that Mongolia would like to integrate with the East Asian economy and engage in connectivity projects.

In another bilateral meeting, US Ambassador to ASEAN, Ms. Nina Hachigian, expressed appreciation for ERIA's huge volume of research and briefings on economic integration in ASEAN and East Asia. She added that the US, as a member of the EAS, would continue to engage with ERIA and strengthen the economic integration with ASEAN and East Asia.

The final bilateral meeting was with the Ambassador of Russian Federation to ASEAN, Mikhail Galuzin. He said that the Russian Federation would commemorate the 20th anniversary of ASEAN-Russia relations next year in a Russian city. He expressed his country's readiness to cooperate with ERIA.

List of the Governing Board Members (As of 1 June 2015)

ASEAN
H.E. Le Luong Minh
Secretary-General of ASEAN

Brunei Darussalam
Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Cambodia
H.E. Ros Seilava
Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Economy and Finance; Member of Supreme National Economic Council (SNEC)

Indonesia
Vacant

Lao PDR
H.E. Bounthavy Sisouphanthong
Vice Minister of Planning and Investment

Malaysia
H.E. Dr. Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria
Secretary General of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI)

Myanmar
H.E. Daw Lei Lei Thein Deputy Minister, Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development

Philippines
Mr. Adrian S. Cristobal, Jr.
Undersecretary, Department of Trade and Industry, Industry Development and Trade Policy Group (DTI-IDTPG)

Singapore
Ambassador Barry Desker
Distinguished Fellow & Bakrie Professor of Southeast Asia Policy, Nanyang Technological University

Thailand
Mr. Winichai Chaemchaeng
Executive Chairman of the International Institute for Asia Pacific Studies (INSAPS), Bangkok University

Vietnam
Dr. Nguyen Dinh Cung
President, Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM)

Australia
Prof. Warwick McKibbin
Chair in Public Policy in the ANU's Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University

China
Prof. Zhang Yunling
Professor of International Economics; Academy Member & Director of Academy Division for International Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)

India
Dr. Rajiv Kumar
Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research; Former Secretary General of Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)

Japan
Mr. Fujio Mitarai
Chairman and CEO, Canon Inc.; Honorary Chairman of Nippon Keidanren (Japan Business Federation)

Korea
Mr. Tae-Shin Kwon
President, Korea Economic Research Institute (KERI); Former Minister of the Prime Minister's Office: Former Ambassador of Korea to the OECD

New Zealand
Dr. John Wood Amb (Rtd) QSO
Chancellor, University of Canterbury

Related Documents

Press Release-The 8th ERIA Governing Board Meeting

The 8th ERIA Governing Board Meeting STATEMENT

The 8th ERIA Governing Board Meeting Statement Key Points

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