ASEAN luminaries call for inclusive digital trade ecosystem: NIKKEI-ISEAS forum

SHENZHEN, August 27: YusofIshak Institute (ISEAS), the “Nikkei-ISEAS Forum on Digitalizing Trade in South East Asia and ASEAN” brought together luminaries from the region including the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Indonesia, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), ISEAS, Honey Consulting Ltd. and Huawei to explore initiatives to unlock the potential of digital tradein the region. The need for a connected, inclusive and multilateral digital trade ecosystemwas emphasized during the discussion.

The COVID-19 crisis has accelerated the adoption of digital technology. ASEAN predicts the digital economy will contribute one trillion US dollars to regional GDP.Third-party data shows 132% of SEA population has a mobile connection, 463 million people are internet users.