CACCI Secretariat Visits Indonesian Representative Office in Taipei

CACCI Secretariat executives headed by Director-General Mr. David Hsu called on key officers of the Indonesian Economic and Trade Office to Taipei (IETO) led by Head of Investment Ali Fauzi and Director of Investment Bayu Nugroho on March 28, 2023. During the meeting, IETO officers briefly described the main tasks and functions of its various departments. For their part, the visiting CACCI executives introduced the objectives of CACCI and its activities to promote regional cooperation, and cited the active role played by KADIN Indonesia in achieving CACCI’s objectives. They also offered the assistance and resources of CACCI in promoting the activities and programs of IETO not just in Taiwan but in other countries in the region, including those major trade and investment exhibitions being held in Indonesia and elsewhere in Asia-Pacific and beyond.

YEGAP is partner organization for FIN Portugal boutique networking event in Braga

YEGAP is pleased to be a partner organiza­tion for FIN Portugal, a boutique networking event organized by the Young Entrepreneurs Association Portugal-China (AJEPC).

The 7th edition of FIN Portugal is set to take place at Altice Forum Braga in Braga, Portugal from June 1-2, 2023. It will bring together a series of activities that promote networking and knowl­edge sharing, such as conferences with international speakers, workshops, business matching meetings, plus a Networking Cocktail, and Gala Dinner.

FIN is part of a larger project that connects four continents in a yearly cycle: Latin America (FIN Brasil, Florianópolis, Brazil – 28th and 29th of March), Africa (Luanda, Angola – April 20th and 21st and Maputo, Mozambique – May 5th), Europe (Braga, Portugal – June 1st and 2nd), Asia (Macao, China – October 17th and 19th to 22nd).

This project, promoted since 2017 by AJEPC, is focused on creating a continuous network connection between continents, allowing all participants to expand their network and businesses. The project takes different forms according to the territories in which it operates, always maintaining the same focus – networking.

The Portugal event focuses on making connections with a highly motivated team that pro­motes the meeting between supply and demand and that is always available to collaborate with participants in the pre-event so that the days of the event can run as smoothly as possible with maximum results. The focus is on the quality of the participants and the high-level connections made with the goal of increasing the participants’ business or institutional networks.

After online and hybrid editions to face the pandemic restrictions, the 2023 edition will only be in person, to maximize the connections created between participants.

Prices start at €225 Participant tickets, which include 1 participant badge, access to the Exhibition Area, access to the Seminar Area, access to Business Matching Meetings, access to Workshops, access to Company Presentation slot, Networking Cocktail, and Gala Dinner.

Exhibitor tickets, meanwhile, are priced at €380 and include 1 exhibitor badge, 1 exhibition counter at the Exhibition Area, access to the Seminar Area, access to Business Matching Meetings, access to Workshops, access to Company Presentation slot, Networking Cocktail, and Gala Dinner. Individual and extra tickets for the Gala Dinner and Networking Cocktail are also available for purchase.

Registrations can be made on the FIN Portugal website HERE.

For more information please visit the following links:

linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/company/ajepc/

twitter – https://twitter.com/AJEPC_ptcn

facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AJEPortugalChina/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/ajepc_/

Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/@ajepc624

Governor Sindh unveils “Tariq Sayeed Avenue” to honor late CACCI VP

On March 13, 2023 in Karachi, Pakistan, the Honorable Governor Sindh Muhammad Kamran Khan Tessori accompanied by Karachi Administrator Dr. Saifur Rehman, FPCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, Senior Vice-President Suleman Chawla, CACCI Vice-President Khurram Tariq Sayeed, Akhtar Tessori, Special Assistant to CM Sindh Pir Noorullah Qureshi, and Jam Kaim Ali unveiled “Tariq Sayeed Avenue” at an impressive ceremony held at FPCCI Karachi Office.

Former FPCCI Presidents and Vice-Presidents, Diplomats, a large number of FPCCI members, businessmen, industrialists, and media personalities also participated in the commemorative ceremony.

Khurram Tariq Sayeed thanked Governor Sindh & Administrator Dr. Rehman for honoring lifelong services of his father, Late Tariq Sayeed, a former CACCI Vice-President, to the Pakistani business community.

During the ceremony honoring Late Tariq Sayeed’s achievements, the Governor highlighed Mr. Tariq Sayeed’s selfless dedication to serve the entire business community of Pakistan and fearless defence of the business sector. The current FPCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh thanked the Sindh Administration for honoring Late Tariq Sayeed for his exemplary services to the business community for more than 5 decades.

CACCI Executives pay courtesy call to Vietnam representative office in Taiwan

CACCI Executives led by Director-General Mr. David Hsu, former Director-General Mr. Ernest Lin, and Deputy Director-General Mr. Amador Honrado paid a courtesy call to the representative office of Vietnam in Taipei in March 14 2023, ahead of a planned CACCI Presidential Visit to Hanoi in May.

Mr. Hsu took the opportunity to introduce CACCI – as well as the Asian Bankers Association (ABA) – to Mr. Dung and the active participation of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and Vietnamese banks in CACCI and the ABA, respectively. He sought the assistance of Mr.  Dung in facilitating the implementation of CACCI’s and ABA’s activities that may be held in Vietnam (e.g., Presidential visits, annual Conferences, etc.) in the future.

Mr. Dung was joined in the meeting by Mr. Vu Van Cuon, Head of Commercial Division, and Mr.  Le Quang Tuan Assistant to Representative / In-Charge of Investment.

Kowloon Chamber officers visit CACCI Secretariat

A delegation from the Kowloon Chamber of Commerce (KCC) paid a visit to the offices of the CACCI Secretariat on March 13, 2023 during a recent trip to Taipei. KCC is CACCI’s Primary Member from Hong Kong.

Leading the delegation was current KCC chairman Mr. Ernest Yuen Ka Lok, one of CACCI’s Vice Presidents. He was joined by former KCC Chairman Mr. Conrad Lee along with several others.

During their visit, CACCI Director-General Mr. David Hsu and Deputy Director-General Mr. Amador Honrado talked about upcoming CACCI activities, specifically the virtual Investment Forum series that spotlights CACCI member countries. Mr. Yuen expressed interest in taking part in the series and elaborating on the economic and investment climate in Hong Kong. Hong Kong will now join the current lineup, which thus far includes a session featuring Nepal in March, the Philippines in June, and New Zealand in the latter half of the year.

CACCI Trade Facilitation newsletter available now

We are pleased to send you herewith the Tenth Volume of the newsletter published by the Asian Council on Trade Facilitation under the Chairmanship of Mr. R. B. Rauniar.

This issue (click HERE to download) features articles on Azerbaijan and Qatar boosting their trade links, Chinese investing in Mongolia to facilitate trade with Rusia, ASEAN continuous efforts to facilitate trade, Tehran hosting Russian trade missions, and India boosting trade with the USA.

There are other reports from Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, about WTO compliance and geopolitical trade complications generated by the Ukranian war.

We hope that this publication will provide you with adequate information about the latest advances in trade facilitation among countries in the Asia Pacific region.

Members are encouraged to contribute articles for our future issues. Kindly forward your materials (preferably with accompanying photos) to mig.moreno@cacci.biz.

CACCI SME newsletter available now

CACCI is pleased to share with its members and friends the Twelfth Volume of the Newsletter of the SME Development Council under the Chairmanship of Mr. George Abraham.

This issue (click HERE to download) features articles on Australia’s sanctions guidance for SMEs and changes in SME financing procedures; Azerbaijan’s recent policy to increase SME funding; Bangladesh’s continued support for SMEs in many areas; and on India’s digitalization drive to reach SMEs.

There are also news about Malaysia’s SMEs, Turkey’s SMEs, Vietnam’s measures to finance SMEs, and Singapore’s national budget boosting SMEs, among many other important news from the region.

This edition shows that the road ahead for SMEs in the region is positive after being negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Members are encouraged to contribute articles for our future issues. Kindly forward your materials (preferably with accompanying photos) to mig.moreno@cacci.biz

CACCI President encourages Entrepreneurship in Bogota

CACCI President Peter McMullin AM had the pleasure to meet with Gabriel Petrus on the morning of March 1, 2023 in Bogota to discuss how entrepreneurship can play a key role in social, environmental and economic prosperity.

For President McMullin, the nurturing of the entrepreneurial spirit is a foundational reason for his CACCI Presidency. His father started a dry cleaning store in Smith Street, Fitzroy in Australia which expanded into a multinational business in the Spotless Group.

President McMullin AM strongly believe that given the right opportunities, entrepreneurs from all over the world can show us what #goodbusiness can and should look like.

Count Peter, CACCI and The Good Business Foundation in!

Proposed CACCI Joint Seminars on “International Trade Terms” for 2023

CACCI plans to organize this year, in cooperation with interested Primary and Affiliate Members, 4 different one-day seminars on International Trade Terms 2020 (Incoterms 2020) and related themes as described below.

The four proposed programs are:

(1) New Revision of the International Trade Terms (one day) DOWNLOAD

(2) Developments in Demand Guarantees and Standby L/C World (one day) DOWNLOAD

(3) Advanced Seminar in Incoterms 2020 and their Linkage to Documentary Credits  (one day) DOWNLOAD

(4) Advanced Seminar on Payment and Security Instruments in Foreign Trade, Trade Finance (one day) DOWNLOAD

In this regard, CACCI would like to know whether member Chambers are interested in hosting the proposed seminars under a cost-sharing arrangement as outlined in the Annex 1.

As the Incoterms 2020 have been applicable since January 1, 2020, being familiar with all changes and their impact is a must in the international trade and finance world.  By attending the seminars, participants will be able to: (1) get a further understanding on the main aspects of contract of sale, related risks, main problematic issues; (2) familiarize themselves with trade terms as per Incoterms and above all with new revision Incoterms 2020 – their practical impact on international trade and finance; and (3) learn about the relationship of payment terms to trade terms – Incoterms 2020.

The four draft programs of the proposed seminars can be downloaded.  Interested chambers may choose either two programs or combine the four programs for the two-day seminars.

The seminars will be conducted by Mr. Pavel Andrle, who is Secretary to the Banking Commission of ICC Czech Republic as well as Member of UCP 600 Consulting Group.

Please let CACCI know if your Chamber is interested to host the proposed seminars under the proposed cost-sharing arrangements by filling this Response Form and returning it to CACCI through our Fax No.: (886 2) 2760-7569 or e-mail: cacci@cacci.biz by March 17, 2023.

CACCI Profile – February edition available

CACCI is pleased to announce that the February 2023 issue of CACCI Profile is now available. Please click here to read or download.

This month’s issue includes a new section called President’s Update, through which Mr. Peter McMullin AM keeps members posted about the activities and goals he is currently undertaking as CACCI President. It also features the announcement and details of the first Presidential Visit to Taipei, Taiwan and Hanoi, Vietnam scheduled this May. Additionally, the newsletter features the latest news from Member Chambers, along with a wide range of articles relevant to business and trade.

It is our ardent hope that this monthly publication is useful to you and your work, and enables you to know more about the CACCI, our members, and their activities.

If you wish other members of your organization to receive a copy of the CACCI Profile, please send us their names, titles/positions, and email addresses through cacci@cacci.biz

We would also appreciate receiving your comments on how we can further improve the CACCI Profile in terms of its format and contents.

If you have any articles you wish to share with our members, you are welcome to send these to us, with accompanying photos if possible, through cacci@cacci.biz.

CACCI VP calls on Pakistan’s Federal Minister of Commerce

On February 18th, 2023, a delegation led by Mr. Khurram Tariq Sayeed, CACCI Vice President & Former Vice President of FPCCI, recently called on the Federal Minister of Commerce of Pakistan, Mr. Syed Naveed Qamar.

Mr. Sayeed briefed the Commerce Minister that CACCI is a powerful and influential non-governmental organisation composed of the National Chambers of 25 countries of Asia & the Western Pacific region that has been granted consultative status under the United Nations. CACCI’s objective is to cut across national boundaries to link Asia- Pacific businesspersons and promote the economic growth of its member countries; which account for 40% of the World population & 20% of the world’s GDP and has a trade volume of US$ 11 Trillion.

CACCI Vice President Mr. Khurram Tariq Sayeed (right) presents a memento from CACCI to Mr. Syed Naveed Qamar, Federal Minister for Commerce of Pakistan.

Mr. Sayeed emphasized that Pakistan must create a conducive environment for regional trade, stating that no country can flourish without it. He cited examples of successful regional blocks like the EU, ASEAN & NAFTA, and recommended to resume trade with India starting with essential items. He also stressed the need to introduce renewable energy projects to reduce the import bill and basket price of energy, as well as restore investor confidence by removing the CVT on foreign assets to boost foreign investment & remittances.

In the end, Mr. Sayeed thanked the Commerce Minister for meeting with the delegation and presented him with a memento from CACCI.

CACCI issues legal clarification

CACCI VP Shrestha Elected President of Nepal’s Biggest University Alumni Association

CACCI VP Shrestha Elected President of Nepal’s Biggest University Alumni Association – CACCI Vice President Mr. Pradeep Kumar Shrestha has recently been elected as President of the Tribhuvan University Alumni Association Nepal (TUAAN), Nepal’s biggest and oldest university Alumni Association. TUAAN is a social, non-political, non-profit voluntary organization of professionals who graduated from Tribhuvan University (TU), a public university located in Kirtipur, Kathmandu. Established in 1959, TU is the oldest university in Nepal. In terms of enrollment, it is the 12th largest university in the world. The college offers 1000 undergraduate and 500 postgraduate programs across a wide range of disciplines.

Dr. Dennis Hu Named New Chairman of the CACCI ICT Council

The Asian Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Council, one of the Product and Service Councils established under the CACCI umbrella, has a new Chairman under the person of Dr. Dennis Hu. Dr. Hu is President of the Foundation for Commerce & Culture Interchange (FCCI), Taiwan and concurrently Senior Adviser of Taipei Computer Association (TCA), Taiwan. He replaces James Chiao, Chairman and CEO of SmartCities Consulting Technology Co. Ltd., who served the position for two years.

Dr. Yu established FCCI in 2010 for promoting international cooperation and collaboration in Smart++ industries development, i.e., Smart City, Smart Healthcare, Smart Agriculture, etc.

At TCA, where he has been connected since 1991, Dr. Hu has devoted and focused his efforts on international marketing, research of industry and technology tren d, and government ICT policies.

Dr. Hu initiated and joined many cross-border cooperation with India, Australia, China, Myanmar, Singapore, and New Zealand, among other countries. He has also been invited to be the Director-General in ADC 2.0 CSR Development Office which was initiated by Acer Group Funder Dr. Stan Shi for narrowing the digital divide in the APEC region.

YEGAP Executive Member from Japan Meets TWC and CACCI Secretariat

Mr. Hiromi Aoki, Member of the Executive Committee of CACCI’s Young Entrepreneurs Group of Asia-Pacific (YEGAP) (center), visited the CACCI Secretariat Office on February 7 2023 during his recent visit to Taipei.

Mr. Aoki, who is President and Chief Executive Officer of Suntech Co. Ltd., was in Taipei on a business trip and took time to meet CACCI officers led by Director-General Mr. David Hsu (left) and Deputy Director-General Mr. Amador Honrado (right).

During their meeting, Mr. Aoki re-affirmed his strong of YEGAP and its activities and expressed his strong interest to take part in the upcoming events of both CACCI and YEGAP, including the proposed CACCI Presidential visits lined up for the year as well as the 2023 CACCI Conference and suggested he will organize a delegation from Japan YEG to join them as well.

Mr. Aoki also had the opportunity to meet up with Mr. Richard Lin, YEGAP Executive member from Taiwan, as well as with members of the Third Wednesday Club of Taipei.

CACCI Presidential Visits to Taiwan and Vietnam in May 2023 – Join in!

CACCI wishes to inform that CACCI President Mr. Peter McMullin AM is inviting all CACCI Officers and Members to join him in his planned Presidential visits scheduled to take place in May 2023 covering the following two cities:

Taipei, Taiwan – May 17 – 18
Hanoi, Vietnam – May 22 – 23

The host chambers for the above two visits are: Taiwan – Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association (CIECA) and the Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce (CNAIC) Vietnam – Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).

The itinerary of the Taiwan Visit is present below and information about the recommended hotel, The Regent is available HERE.

The itinerary of the Vietnam Visit is also presented below and the information about the recommended hotel, The Duparc, is available HERE.

Both country visits are intended to give the CACCI President and members of his delegation the opportunity to gather first-hand information on the business situation in the host countries; further build up the image of CACCI by making courtesy calls on heads of state, economic ministers, and other high-ranking government officials to seek support for CACCI; and meet the top businessmen in the host countries, particularly those from industries or sectors that the host countries wish to promote.

The host chambers have been requested to arrange their respective programs for the visits. We will inform the proposed itinerary, along with other relevant information (e.g., hotel accommodation), as soon as these are available.

In the meantime, should you wish to meet with specific businessmen in any of the three host countries, visit specific local companies or organizations, or conduct specific activities during the trip, please let CACCI know so your request can be conveyed to the host chambers for their consideration.

CACCI encourages its members to join President McMullin on his upcoming visits to Taiwan and Vietnam, and take advantage of the opportunity not only to establish contacts with key representatives from the private and government sectors of these countries, but also to learn first-hand the business conditions and opportunities they offer.

CACCI Officers and Members can confirm their participation by filling out this Confirmation Form and returning it to CACCI through our Fax No. (886 2) 2760 7569 or e-mail at cacci@cacci.biz, preferably by March 31. Should you have further questions, please email to cacci@cacci.biz.

CACCI Participates in 21st JBC Meeting

Representatives from CACCI led by President Peter McMullin AM and SME Development Council Chairman George Abraham attended the 21st Meeting of the Joint Business Councils (JBC) of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) held virtually on January 24 2023.

During the meeting, Mr. Abraham briefed the JBC members on the recent and upcoming activities of CACCI, including a summary report on the 36th CACCI Conference held in Melbourne, Australia. As an Associate Member of the JBC, CACCI is invited to participate in the series of JBC meetings usually held by the ASEAN-BAC, chaired this year by KADIN Indonesia, in preparation for the annual ASEAN Summit Meeting.

YEGAP Vice Chairman Meets up with CACCI Secretariat Executive

Mr. Rommel Gerodias, Vice Chairman of the Young Entrepreneurs Group of Asia-Pacific (YEGAP) (left), on January 23 2023, met up with with CACCI Deputy Director-General Mr. Amador Honrado (right), during the latter’s recent visit to Manila, Philippines.

They discussed possible activities that Mr. Gerodias can undertake in 2023, especially in his capacity as YEGAP Vice Chairman representing Southeast Asia, including recruitment of new YEGAP members from the region. Mr. Honrado also took the opportunity to give Mr. Gerodias additional YEGAP pins for his new recruits.

CACCI Vice President Khurram Tariq Sayeed calls on Consul General of Pakistan in Hong Kong

Khurram Tariq Sayeed, Vice President Confederation of Asia Pacific Chambers of Commerce & Industry (CACCI) & Former Vice President FPCCI called  in January 2023 on the Consul General of Pakistan in Hong Kong Mr. Bilal Ahmad Butt at the Consulate General of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region.

Also present on the occasion was Mr. Ali Awan, Trade Development Officer Pakistan Consulate, Hong Kong. Mr. Sayeed briefed the Consul General on the aims and objectives of CACCI and discussed various proposals to increase trade and investment among CACCI member countries particularly between Hong Kong & Pakistan.

He briefed the Consul General that CACCI’s objective is to cut across national boundaries to link Asian businesspersons and promote economic growth of member countries; which account for 40% of the World population & 20% of the world’s GDP. However; he pointed out that the share of Pakistan’s trade volume within CACCI member countries is quite low and Pakistan trade missions must play a more proactive role in shoring up trade volume by encouraging exchange of delegations and organizing trade shows.

He assured the Consul General that CACCI will facilitate and extend all possible co-operation to increase trade between Hong Kong & Pakistan.

CACCI Profile – January edition available

We are pleased to announce that the January 2023 issue of CACCI Profile is now available. Please click here to read or download.

This month’s issue features the recent meeting between YEGAP Founder Ms. Anna Periquet and CACCI Deputy Director-General Amador Honrado. Additionally, the newsletter features the latest news from Member Chambers, along with a wide range of articles relevant to business and trade.

It is our ardent hope that this monthly publication is useful to you and your work, and enables you to know more about the CACCI, our members, and their activities.

If you wish other members of your organization to receive a copy of the CACCI Profile, please send us their names, titles/positions, and email addresses through cacci@cacci.biz

We would also appreciate receiving your comments on how we can further improve the CACCI Profile in terms of its format and contents.

If you have any articles you wish to share with our members, you are welcome to send these to us, with accompanying photos if possible, through cacci@cacci.biz.

Thank you for your kind attention, and we look forward to your continued support of the CACCI and its activities.

CACCI Secretariat Calls on Philippine Representative Office in Taipei

CACCI Director- General Mr. David Hsu (Left photo, left) calls on Members of the Board of Directors of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taipei led by Chairman and Chief Representative Atty. Silvestre H. Bello III in December 2022. Mr. Hsu introduced CACCI to Atty Bello and other MECO Board Members, highlighting the active role that the Philippine business community – through the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its leaders and members – has played in the growth and the development of CACCI since its establishment in 1966. Atty. Bellow expressed interest in collaborating with CACCI and the Secretariat in pursuing trade and investment opportunities for the Philippines not just in Taiwan but also in other Asia-Pacific countries that are part of the CACCI membership.

Former CACCI Presidents given citations during Melbourne conference

Special citations were presented to former CACCI Presidents for their exemplary commitment to and continued involvement in the Confederation They were honored during the Gala Dinner of the 36th CACCI Conference held on November 29, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia.

The honorees included the following:

(1) A Distinguished Service Award was given to Mr. Kenneth W. Court, outgoing Chairman of the CACCI Advisory Board, in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments during his tenure in CACCI in various capacities, including as CACCI President from 1988 to 1990, as CACCI President Emeritus since 2010, and as Chairman of the CACCI Advisory Board since 2013.

(2) The title of President Emeritus was conferred on former CACCI Presidents who have remained active in CACCI even after their term as President has ended. The conferees included:

• Harvey Chang from Taiwan, who served as CACCI president from 2006 to 2010
• Benedicto Yujuico from the Philippines, who served as CACCI President from 2010 to 2014
• Jemal Inaishvili from Georgia, who served as CACCI President from 2014 to 2018

(3) Harvey Chang was also named the new Chairman of the CACCI Advisory Board for 2023-2024, taking over the position from Mr. Ken Court.

CACCI Profile – November edition available

CACCI is pleased to announce that the November 2022 issue of CACCI Profile is now available. Please click here to read or download.

This month’s issue features CACCI President Samir Modi’s participation in the WCF General Council Meeting in Paris as well as Vice President Peter McMullin representing CACCI at the B20 Summit in Indonesia . Additionally, the newsletter features the latest news from Member Chambers, along with a wide range of articles relevant to business and trade.

It is our ardent hope that this monthly publication is useful to you and your work, and enables you to know more about the CACCI, our members, and their activities.

If you wish other members of your organization to receive a copy of the CACCI Profile, please send us their names, titles/positions, and email addresses through cacci@cacci.biz

We would also appreciate receiving your comments on how we can further improve the CACCI Profile in terms of its format and contents.

If you have any articles you wish to share with our members, you are welcome to send these to us, with accompanying photos if possible, through cacci@cacci.biz.

Vice President McMullin Represents CACCI at the B20 Summit Indonesia 

CACCI Vice President Mr. Peter McMullin from Australia attended the B20 Summit Indonesia 2022 held in Bali, Indonesia on November 13-14 representing CACCI. Organized by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the two-day event brought together global business leaders to make policy recommendations to the G20 to address key challenges for businesses around the world. Known as the business arm of the G20, the B20 is the official G20 dialogue forum for the global business community.

The theme for this year’s Summit was ‘Advancing Innovative, Inclusive, and Collaborative Growth’. The B20 aims to achieve this through making policy recommendations to G20 countries on seven key policy areas, including trade and investment; energy, sustainability, and climate; digitalization; finance and infrastructure; future of work & education; integrity and compliance and women in business. Above photo shows Mr. McMullin (center) with members of the Australia-Indonesia Business Council.

CACCI Immediate Past President Modi calls on Singapore Manufacturers Federation

CACCI Immediate Past President Mr. Samir Modi called on Mr. Lennon Tan, President of the Singapore Manufacturers Federation (SMF) at the SMF headquarters in Singapore on November 22, 2023.

He was accompanied by Mr. George Abraham, Chairman of the CACCI SME Development Council. Mr. Modi and Mr. Abraham briefed Mr. Tan and his colleagues on CACCI and its activities and encouraged them to take an active part in the various meetings, events and programs held by CACCI for the benefit of its member chambers and businessmen in the region as a whole.

B20 Indonesia Digitalization Task Force Issues Recommendations to Drive Global Growth

The Digitalization Task Force formed by B20 Indonesia issued a policy paper during that spelled out its recommendations to make digitalization as a major driver of global economic growth. The recommendations were formulated during the G20 – B20 dialogue forum held in July this year in Jakarta. The recommendations were made following a series of discussions held during the six months prior to the July forum.

In its policy paper, the Digitalization Task Force identified four main obstacles that contribute to the digital divide and prevent inclusive digital transformation.

These include:

1. Different levels of readiness hamper the ability of countries and businesses to utilize digitalization as a key driver for national building and economic development
2. The lack of digital infrastructure and literacy
3. Insufficient support for MSMEs digital transformation
4. Issues of cybersecurity and basic rights in digital era.

Considering all the hindrances mentioned above, the Task Force said it believes that digitalization is one of the world’s most pressing issues to tackle. Hence, it makes a strong case for the following four policy recommendations:

1. Drive university connectivity by ensuring future-proof connectivity for all, fostering universal access to participate in the digital economy and government services, ensuring inclusion and eliminating the digital divide
2. Basic foundations for sustainable and resilient digital economy by accelerating development of digital infrastructure
3. Ensure a digital-ready mindset for individuals and MSMEs, and enabling MSMEs through access to digital platform by fostering tech-enabled workforce and companies
4. Promote risk-based, interoperable, and technology-neutral cybersecurity standards and best practices that support companies’ efforts to protect their network, by defining cyber security protocols, promoting enhancement of cybersecurity practices and education to private users and companies, including MSMEs.

“The essence of our work as Indonesia’s B20 Digitalization Task Force is to ensure that digitalization could drive future growth while bridging the digital divide, which eventually leads to an inclusive digital transformation,” said Chair of B20 Indonesia Digitalization Task Force Ririek Adriansyah, who is also the President Director of PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (Telkom).

CACCI Secretariat officers attend Philippine Investment Forum in Taipei

Officers of the CACCI Secretariat led by Director-General Mr. David Hsu was invited to participate in the Philippine Investment Forum jointly organized by the Philippine Trade & Investment Center Taipei and the Board of Investments of the Philippines on October 24, 2022.

Held at the Grand Ballroom of Marriott Hotel, the two-hour Forum featured high-level officials from relevant Philippine government agencies who made presentations on priority industries for investment in the Philippines that might be of interest to Taiwanese investors. Discussions focused mainly on the Science, Technology & Innovation (STI)-centered industrial policy of the Philippine Department pf Trade and Industry which aims to accelerate the development of globally competitive and innovative industries with strong linkages to domestic and global value and supply chains.

Representat8ives from the Philippine side were led by Atty. Silvestre H. Bello III, Chairman and Resident Representative, Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO); and Dr. Ceferino S. Rodolfo, Undersecretary, Industry Development and Trade Policy Group., Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Managing Head, Board of Investments.

Representatives of two Taiwanese companies with operations in the Philippines were also present to give testimonials on their experience dealing with the Philippine government and the local workforce and the successes they achieved in their businesses in the country. These included Mr. Clement Yang, Chairman of Medtechs Group; and Mr. George Lien, Vice Chairman, Tong-An Asset, TECO Group.

CACCI Director-General Calls on Hungarian Trade Office in Taipei

Mr. Balázs Szabó, Investment and Trade Director at the Hungarian Trade Office in Taipei (2nd from left), and his Assistant Ms. Tamara Vér (left) warmly received CACCI Secretariat executives led by Director-General Mr. David Hsu (2nd from right) and Deputy Director-General Mr. Amador Honrado (right) on October 21, 2023 to discuss possible areas of cooperation between the two organizations.

Mr. Hsu took the opportunity to introduce CACCI and the Asian Bankers Association (ABA) to Mr. Szabó and Ms. Ver, who both expressed interest in the activities of CACCI and ABA and the potential for the two organizations to help businessmen from Hungary and from CACCI member countries to connect with each other explore business opportunities in banking and other industry sectors. Mr. Hsu also informed the Hungarian trade officers of the upcoming Conferences of CACCI and ABA and encouraged them to participate. For his part, Mr. Szabó hinted on the possibility of organizing a forum for CACCI members to enable them to learn more about the market environment in Hungary.

Webinar on “Smart Solutions for Better Business: Is Your Enterprise Future-Ready?” held on 4 October 2022

The Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI), in cooperation with the Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association Taiwan (CIECA-Taiwan), the Importers and Exporters Association of Taipei (IEAT), and the Taiwan Smart Solutions Association (TSS), concluded a webinar on “Smart Solutions for Better Business: Is Your Enterprise Future-Ready?” on October 4, 2022.

The webinar provided an introduction to the many categories of smart solutions and how these can be applicable and beneficial to various fields of business. Smart solutions purveyors also presented specific smart solutions and talked about successful case studies that utilized them.

SUMMARY REPORT

The 90-minute session was moderated by Herman Sameisky,  a technical communicator and data analyst who has previously worked for Google and Amazon and currently serves as the International Director of the Taiwan Smart Solutions Association (TSS).

(1) James Chiao, Chairman of the Asian ICT Council at CACCI and the Smart Cities Committee at CIECA-Taiwan; Founding President of Taiwan Smart Solutions Association (TSS); and CEO of Smart Cities Consulting, Ltd, Co.  talked about the COVID-19 Pandemic’s impact on and opportunities for businesses. He discussed the digital transformation of businesses, that it is about efficiency and adding value to the end-user. Companies are using digital transformation to deliver better customer experiences, better decision making, improve their efficiencies and create more personalized solutions to every need that customers have.

However, he also stressed that every business is different, and recommended a Smart Business Strategic Plan for anyone planning to transition. In particular, a project management office (PMO) must be established to facilitate public-private partnership, manage the data exchange platform, and plan, test and manage the testing fields. A customized stakeholders participation plan also needs to be developed to facilitate effective communication of the action plans among stakeholders.

James then went on to introduce the many categories of smart solutions, including the use of AI and machine vision in smart traffic enforcement, mobility, and parking; and applications in smart tourism, health, governance, disaster prevention, emergency management, education, and agriculture.

He further emphasized the potential of Taiwan’s smart solutions, and how glocalization is a win-win business model for international partnerships.

The session then delved into case studies of smart solutions for businesses.

(2) Joni Kuo, Chairman of Softfoundry International Pte Ltd.,  introduced FacePro  “5G+AR Remote Xpert” Smart Service,” which enables experts to remotely guide on-site personnel with 4K ultra-high-definition video from the first perspective and conduct troubleshooting and maintenance, which not only improves maintenance efficiency and ensures safety, but also results in a sharing of expertise and technology.

FacePro’s Xpert system has application cases in various industries, including in manufacturing, aerospace, petrochemical, smart construction, and agriculture, among others.

According to Joni, there are four main challenges most enterprises face as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic: global competition, high cost of travel in terms of both time and money, shortage of experts, and unplanned downtime losses. Addressing these challenges, FacePro can deliver remote expert guidance, digital workflow, hands-free digital assist, visualization of industrial IoT data, and build a knowledge base.

She went on to recount several use case examples: 1) remote Cosco Shipping deployed FacePro for ship inspection, remote maintenance, shipbuilding and repairing, remote guidance and support, etc; 2) SK Innovation used the RCS system for its global manufacturing site; 3) Hyundai E&C used in smart construction; 4) Porsche China launched their new Remote Technical Support System (RTS) using the FacePro Xpert system.

(3) Mike Tsai, speaking on behalf of Healthcare Systems Consortium (HSC) CEO Shao-Jen Weng,  focused on how hospitals and health systems are positioning their organizations for the future in a post-pandemic world, and the top 10 healthcare industry trends and innovations that impact healthcare companies worldwide.

HSC is a platform that allows hospitals, enterprises, research institutes, government agencies, and universities to exchange information and find opportunities for collaboration. Funded by Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology, the platform helps match hospitals and enterprises based on their needs. HSC helps with resource optimization, and the use of lean medical technologies and smart technologies to solve hospital problems. They likewise help enterprises seek out which hospitals their products may be most needed by.

Hospitals in Taiwan are run under its National Health Insurance system, and usually have limited resources to improve conditions for their patients. Thus, they turn to smart solutions to help with management, monitoring resources, and avoiding problems such as overcrowding. In some instances, smart systems are also far more reliable and less time consuming, as in the case of the surgical instrument tracking system that uses machine learning or deep learning to account for the instruments and make sure they aren’t, for example, accidentally left inside a body during an operation.

In hospitals, a wide range of smart solutions can be integrated to provide better healthcare experiences. Despite the cost, the upgrade is usually deemed necessary for institutions to keep up with both competitors and the wider sector. However, Mike emphasized that there are also smaller smart technologies and products that may be put in place which will help save patients’ lives, and which may not require such a high cost to implement.

(4) Bruce King, Marketing Director of GoodLinker Co., Ltd., looked into the common barriers manufacturing SMEs face in reaching digital transformation to be smarter and more efficient. Over 90% of SMEs in Taiwan have yet to embrace digitization, and it’s usually due to three reasons: the prevalence of handwritten reports, old machines, and lack of IT talent. These all contribute to the lack of data collection and analysis, which is the foundation of digitization, and a step towards digital transformation- something GoodLinker is looking to help companies reach.

The company currently has a Cloud SaaS Service or IIoT Platform that is a cost-effective, simple, safe, and eco-friendly digital tool for quantitative management. It offers real-time monitoring, can generate history reports, and alerts when there is a malfunction in the production line. The system likewise includes paperless 24/7 recording and remote monitoring, with data that can be downloaded for analysis.

Bruce gave the use case example of a meatball factory and explained how the first step was setting up the data collection infrastructure in order to obtain data from the machines: sensor and wiring construction, followed by plug-n-play to the Goodlinker system with no code required. Based on the data collected, a year after using the system, the company reported a 62% reduction in the waste rate of raw materials, which translated to a cost reduction of about $300,000 USD a year. The Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) rate also increased by 6.44%.

According to Bruce, they have serviced over 40 users not only in Taiwan, but also Southeast Asia, and have proven that the solution can be used in different industries. He added that they have also proven that the manufacturing industry is willing to use cloud solutions so long as these can solve their problems in a cost-effective way. Users, he said, prefer a total solution with full service over a product, and called on  channels with SME customers, system integrators, and industry experts and consultants to team up with GoodLinker and provide smart solutions to enterprises.

The session ended with a short Q&A.

The presentation were available to registered participants only.

The video presentation of the webinar can be viewed at the CACCI YouTube channel.

Webinar on Mongolian Banking’s status and opportunities

The Asian Bankers Association (ABA), one of the Product and Service Councils established under the CACCI umbrella, is inviting CACCI members to join the webinar on “Mongolian Banking: Current status and opportunities” to be held on October 17, 2022, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM Taipei time.

As the first of the webinars on “Connecting and Exploring Opportunities with ABA” series prior to this year’s virtual 38^th ABA General Meeting and Conference, the October 17 webinar will be conducted by Mr. Lkhagvasuren Amar, CEO of the Mongolian Bankers Association (MBA).

This one-hour webinar will provide valuable information to bankers, investors and financial experts to explore and learn about the current status of the banking market in Mongolia and the opportunities available.

The topics for discussion include:

(1) MBA profile
(2) Key statistics (demographics, culture, GDP per capita)
(3) Financial & banking system (ex. types of banks, operational objectives, financial markets)
(4) International trade and foreign investment policy (fiscal and regulatory framework)
(5) Strengths (economic development, areas of economic growth, main branches of industry, investment infrastructure and business opportunities)
(6) Challenges ahead

The Agenda

I. Introduction by Moderator, Oliver Hoffman, Erste Group Bank AG’s Managing Director & Head of Asia (2 minutes)

II. Welcome Remarks by Eugene Acevedo, ABA Chairman & President/CEO of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) (2 minutes)

III. Presentation by Lkhagvasuren Amar, Mongolian Bankers Association’s CEO (40 minutes)

IV. Q&A (16 minutes)

To join the meeting, interested parties may register HERE:

We encourage you to register and share the invitation with colleagues.

“A storm ahead? View on the Asian economy” webinar

The Asian Bankers Association (ABA), one of the Product and Service Councils established under the CACCI umbrella, is inviting CACCI members to join the 90-minute webinar on “A storm ahead？An updated view on the Asian economy” to be held on 13 October, 2022 at 02:00 PM, Taipei time.

The webinar, organized in association with the Association of Credit Rating Agencies in Asia (ACRAA), will feature Atsushi Masuda, ACRAA Chairman & Counselor for International Affairs, Japan Credit Rating Agency Ltd. (JCR) and Lina Wang, Senior Analyst of  Sovereign Rating, China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co. (CCXI).  Lin Zhang, Assistant Director of Research Institute, CCXI will join the Q&A session.

The topics to be discussed are explained as follows:

I. Four questions on the possible scenario for the global economy by Atsushi Masuda (45 minutes)

This session will take up the following four questions on the possible scenario for the global economy;

(1) Is the Great Moderation over?

(2) Will recession come?

(3) Will inflation stay?

(4) Will default rate mount?

The presentation will focus upon the Asia region excluding PRC in the context of recent developments in the global economy. At this moment, inflation pressure is growing beyond “temporary” but still it is projected to stabilize once geo-political factors and outright US Dollar appreciation will be corrected. It may be safe to think the Great Moderation ends really this time in view of revived inflation and higher volatilities in the markets. Fear of recession has been also surfacing in view of possible further tightening on gas supply from Russia and concerted monetary tightening worldwide, but the argument of similarity to the 2007 situation is not valid at this moment.

II. The recovery of China’s economy – Steering through turbulent waters by Lina Wang (25 minutes)

The speech will focus on the recovery of China’s economy amid multiple external and internal challenges. The speech will go through the fundamentals and outlook of China’s macroeconomy with key economic components and supporting data. Looking ahead, China’s economy will rebound in the second half of 2022 while downside risks persist. The policy space of China may be restrictive with tightening monetary and financial conditions globally. The evolution of coronavirus infections will remain an important risk. Meanwhile, China continues to face policy challenges to balance long-term policy goals with growth targets. Restoring confidence and spurring vitality of market entities is key to adding growth momentum.

III. Q&A session (20 minutes)

Audience will be able to issue questions to the speakers.

We therefore encourage you and your colleagues to register for this webinar by clicking HERE.

CACCI Director-General Meets with Representative of Korean Mission in Taipei

Mr.  Chung Byung-Won, Representative of the Korean Mission in Taipei met with CACCI Secretariat officers led by Director-General Mr. David Hsu on September 23, 2022 at the former’s office. Mr. Chung was briefed by Mr. Hsu on CACCI and its various activities to help promote networking and business cooperation among businessmen in the region, and the active role played by the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry – one of the founding members of CACCI – in achieving this objective.

Mr. Hsu also informed Mr. Chung of the CACCI Young Entrepreneurs Group of Asia-Pacific (YEGAP) in which Mr. Michael Lee, a young businessman from Korea engaged in education and consultancy, is actively involved as Chairman of its Membership and Partnership Alliances. He likewise took the opportunity to introduce the Asian Bankers Association, one of the Product and Service Councils of CACCI, and the involvement of Korean banks in it.

CACCI Director-General Calls on Australian Representative in Taiwan

CACCI Director-General Mr. David Hsu and other CACCI Secretariat executives on September 21, 2022 called on Ms. Jenny Bloomfield, Australia’s Representative in Taiwan, and her colleagues Mr. Brent Moore, Deputy Representative and Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner, and Mr. Dan Bowman, Executive Director, Economic and Policy Section.

During the visit, Mr. Hsu briefed Mr. Bloomfield about CACCI and the participation of Australian businessmen in its activities through the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI). They also took the opportunity to inform Ms. Bloomfield of the upcoming 38th CACCI Conference to be held on November 28-29, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia with the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry as the host organization. They told her that CACCI members who plan to join the Melbourne Conference – especially members of the CACCI Young Entrepreneurs Group of Asia Pacific (YEGAP) – have expressed interest to meet Australian young entrepreneurs and relevant local government officials and visit Australian companies., including start-ups and those involved in innovative industries.  The CACCI officers also introduced to her the CACCI study on “Rebuilding the World Trading System” and presented her a copy of the study.

In response, Ms. Bloomfield offered the assistance of her office in setting up meetings of interested CACCI officers and members with Australian businessmen, business organizations, or government officials while they are in Melbourne for the Conference. She pointed out that Australia is a reliable supplier of energy and resources not only to Twain but other Asian countries as well, and that Australian interests with many Asian countries intersect across many areas such as education and vocational skills, energy innovation and investment, biotechnology, and smart cities, among others

CACCI webinar on Smart Solutions for Better Business: Is Your Enterprise Future-Ready? – Register now

CACCI is pleased to invite members and friends to join the webinar on “Smart Solutions for Better Business: Is Your Enterprise Future-Ready?” which will be held on October 4, 2022 at 2:00 PM Taipei time (GMT+8).

To register please click HERE.

The webinar, which is co-hosted by the Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association (CIECA-Taiwan), Importers Exporters Association of Taipei (IEAT), and Taiwan Smart Solutions (TSS), aims to introduce successful cases of smart solutions in various fields of business. Experts will be invited to present various smart solutions applicable to business and provide the opportunity to discuss potential collaboration among businessmen in the Asia-Pacific region.

The 90-minute session will be moderated by Herman Sameisky, the International Director of Taiwan Smart Solutions Association (TSS). Mr. Samiesky is a technical communicator and data analyst who has previously worked for Google and Amazon.

(1) James Chiao, Chairman of the Asian ICT Council at CACCI and the Smart Cities Committee at CIECA-Taiwan; Founding President of Taiwan Smart Solutions Association (TSS); and CEO of Smart Cities Consulting, Ltd, Co.  will talk about the COVID-19 Pandemic’s impact on and opportunities for businesses. In particular, he will discuss the digital transformation of businesses, how smart solutions can optimize them, and how glocalization is a win-win business model for international partnerships.

The session will then delve into case studies of smart solutions for businesses.

(2) Joni Kuo, Chairman of Softfoundry International Pte Ltd., will introduce FacePro “5G+AR Remote Xpert” Smart Service,” which enables experts to remotely guide on-site personnel with 4K ultra-high-definition video from the first perspective and conduct troubleshooting and maintenance, which not only improves maintenance efficiency and ensures safety, but also results in a sharing of expertise and technology.

(3) Shao-Jen Weng, CEO of Healthcare Systems Consortium (HSC), will focus on how hospitals and health systems are positioning their organizations for the future in a post-pandemic world, and the top 10 healthcare industry trends and innovations that impact healthcare companies worldwide.

(4) Bruce King, Marketing Director of GoodLinker Co., Ltd., will look into the two common barriers manufacturing SMEs face in reaching digital transformation to be smarter and more efficient. He will also tackle the benefits of Industry Internet of Thing (IIoT), and the service model with glocalization eco-system. Examples of different industry application cases will also be presented.

(5) The session will conclude with a Q&A.

You are encourage to share this invitation with colleagues and friends.

To register please click HERE.

CWEC Chairperson Meets with Businesswomen Group from Iran

Mrs. Mukta Nandini Jain, Chairperson of the CACCI Women Entrepreneurs Council (CWEC), met virtually with of key officers of the Khorasan Razavi Businesswomen Association (KHBWA) led by Chairwoman Mrs. Azar Kianinejad on August 26 to discuss possible areas of cooperation. Also in attendance were officers of the CACCI Secretariat headed by Director-General Mr. David Hsu.

KHBWA is interested to know more about CWEC and learn from the experiences of women entrepreneurs from CACCI member countries in running their businesses and how to address the challenges currently faced by business women in Iran. Mrs. Jain proposed, as an initial activity, the holding of an online webinar between the two organizations and have the opportunity to meet with each other and exchange views on areas of mutual concern.

Mrs. Kianinejad also extended an invitation to Mrs. Mukta and members of the CWEC to visit Khorasan Razavi to allow face-to-face meetings and know each other better. Founded in 2013, KHBWA works under the umbrella of the Khorasan Razavi Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, which is a provincial member of Iran  Chamber of Commerce Industries Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA), a CACCI Primary Member.

KHBWA deals with empowering businesswomen and women entrepreneurs in Khorasan Razavi province, which is located in the North East part of Iran. It has more than 30 active members who are either a CEO of SMEs, a board member of them, or potent enough to manage their own business.  The CWEC was organized in October 2005 during the 70th CACCI Council Meeting held in Tbilisi, Georgia. Its primary objective is to promote the growth and development of women entrepreneurs in the Asia-Pacific region. CWEC is currently under the chairmanship of Mrs. Mukta Nandini Jain, former national president of the FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO).

YEGAP Talks #3 Features YEGAP Chairman Mangesh Lal Shrestha

Mr. Mangesh Lal Shrestha, Chairman of the Young Entrepreneurs Group of Asia-Pacific (YEGAP), was the featured speaker of the third session of YEGAP Talks held virtually on September 16, 2022.  In his presentation, Mr. Lal Shrestha – who is the Global Vice President (Growth & Artificial Intelligence) at Frost & Sullivan – did not only share his journey as an entrepreneur, but also focused on the transformation from an entrepreneur to a corporate entrepreneur, or what he called as an intrapreneur.

In particular, he shared his experience as a Corporate Entrepreneur by being part of the team tasked with transforming a global organization through visionary leadership, innovation, and change management. Throughout his professional life, Mr. Lal Shrestha has been involved in projects and enterprises that promote his passion for youth & entrepreneurship development along with innovation to contribute and improve social-economic era. Looking forward, he said that there is now a gradual convergence of entrepreneurship and corporate entrepreneurship.

The one-hour conversation with Mangesh can be viewed here.

CACCI meets with Malaysian Friendship & Trade Centre

CACCI Secretariat officers led by Director-General Mr. David Hsu joined the luncheon meeting hosted by CTBC Bank on September 15, 2023 for representatives of the Malaysian Friendship & Trade Centre in Taiwan, namely, Director Ms. Syakella Zakaria, Director for Economics Ms. Syajaratud Durri Abdullah, and Director of Trade Ms. Aninawati Saleh. Among others, Mr. Hsu discussed with the Malaysian officers on how to get Malaysian business organizations can get more actively involved in CACCI activities.

Excellent Introduction to Chamber Model Initiative (CMI) Workshop held on September 13, 2022.

The webinar session on Introduction to Chamber Model Initiative Workshop hosted by Dubai Chamber of Commerce in coordination with CACCI on September 13, 2022 was an informative and useful session that provided the opportunity to learn important ideas and concepts on how to further strengthen chambers’ organization and objectives amidst ongoing changes and emerging challenges in the regional and global market environment.

The attendance to the workshop was the first step in finding “a pathway and tangible solutions to enable your chambers to start innovating continuously while putting your constituencies’ needs at the forefront of service development.”

To further assist you in this regard moving forward, we provide hereunder the video recording of the Workshop as well as to a number of other useful materials :

• The new link for Dubai Chambers’ Chamber Model Innovation webpage
• The new link for The Chamber model Innovation Playbook
• Registration Link for CMI Around the World Session 1: Organized by WCF/ICC and Dubai Chambers, “CMI Around the World” series provide a perfect platform for peer Chambers to learn about CMI case studies and learnings from pioneering Chambers in CMI.

Should you have further questions, please contact us at the Secretariat through cacci@cacci.biz, or the following members of the Dubai Chambers team:

• Natalia Sycheva  natalia.sycheva@dubaichamber.com
• Fatma Almadani  fatma.almadani@dubaichamber.com
• Hind Taha hind.taha@dubaichamber.com

ACWEE Signs MOU with ISGM From Iran

The Asian Council on Water, Energy and Environment (ACWEE), one of the Product and Service Councils established under the CACCI umbrella, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Iranian Society for Green Management (ISGM), a non-profit organization registered un the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA), CACCI Primary Member from Iran.

The signing ceremony was held virtually, with ACWEE Chairman Mr. Gyanendra Lal Pradhan from Nepal and ISGM President Mohammad Hasan Emami signing on behalf of their respective organizations.

ISGM President Mohammad Hasan Emami in his Message at the signing ceremony said that since its establishment 16 years ago, the ISGM has been active on green intelligence, carbon footprint calculation, water footprint calculation, green hospital, green hotel, green industry, product life cycle assessment, as well as expert training, green assessor and issuing green certification for organizations. He added that ISGM has also tried to strengthen the green culture in Iran by holding national and international conferences and producing books and articles. He said that ISGM considered it an honor to be able to influence sustainable develop at the national and international level with the support of ACWEE. “Our goal of signing the MOU is to develop common experiences and knowledge and support the economy and environment together,” he remarked.

ACWEE Chairman Mr. Gyanendra Lal Pradhan in his Welcome Statement noted that given the continuing rapid economic growth of Asian countries, the development of clean water, energy and environment is crucial for the further development of their economies. Hence, he said he was very pleased to sign an MOU with the ISGM, pointing out that the ACWEE and ISGM share the same objective: Both organizations aim to serve as platforms to help promote the interest of their members, which are composed mainly of businessmen in the water, energy, and environment sector from their respective regions, Mr. Lal Pradhan said. To achieve this common aspiration, ACWEE and ISGM have therefore agreed to come together to sign the MOU to further concretize partnership between the two organizations, he added. He said that the ACWEE certainly looks forward to working with ISGM in pursuing the tenets of the MOU that will redound to the benefits not only of their respective members, but the whole global village as well.

In his Welcome Remarks, CACCI Director-General Mr. David Hsu pointed out that water, energy, environment and green natural resources have been important subjects to mankind particularly since the start of the 20th century. The growing climate change and the recent floods and drought happening in many countries and regions around the world have further highlighted the worsening situation. Mr. Hsu added that many agencies are committed to addressing the problem or to mitigating its negative impact on the environment, and expressed his hopes that the signing of the MOU between ISGM and ACWEE will help contribute to achieving this important objective.

For his part, CACCI Deputy Director-General Mr. Amador Honrado said that as one of the Product and Service Councils of CACCI, the ACWEE plays an important role in promoting the development of the water, energy and environment in the Asia-Pacific region and encouraging business interaction among CACCI members in this sector. He thanked ISGM for reaching out to CACCI – and to the ACWEE in particular – in its efforts to have greater cooperation with other organizations in CACCI member countries with similar objectives as its own, and expressed confidence that the signing of the MOU between ISGM and ACWEE will be mutually beneficial to both organizations and to their respective members.

Under the MOU, ISGM and ACWEE agree to:

1. Facilitate interaction between their members in order to encourage strategic alliances and networking among themselves.
2. Jointly develop and promote training and capacity-building programs to enhance the professional and institutional capability of their members and other institutions that share the same objectives.
3. Co-organize, collaborate, and assist each other in conferences and forums on water, energy and environment and related topics and issues.
4. Explore other areas of cooperation such as information exchange, publications, research and studies and other appropriate endeavors deemed beneficial to their respective members.

CACCI Joins 20th Meeting of the Joint Business Councils

Mr. George Abraham, Chairman of the CACCI SME Development Council, represented CACCI at the 20th  Joint Business Councils (JBC) Meeting held virtually on September 9, 2022. The meeting provided opportunity to JBC members to provide updates to the ASEAN Business Advisory Council on their recent and upcoming activities.

Mr. Abraham briefed them mainly on preparations for the 36th CACCI Conference to be held in Melbourne, the activities of its various Product and service Councils such as the Young Entrepreneurs Group of Asia Pacific (YEGAP) and the Asian ICT Council, the Workshop on Introduction to the Chamber Model Innovation jointly held with the Dubai Chambers, participation in the B20 Indonesia activities as well as in other events conducted by other organizations. CACCI is an Associate Member of the JBC.

YEGAP Holds Orientation for New Members

The restructured and revitalized Yung Entrepreneurs Group of Asia-Pacific (YEGAP) held a virtual orientation meeting with new YEGAP members on August 24^th 2022.

Moderated by Mr. Michael Lee, Chairman of the YEGAP Committee on Membership and Partnership Alliances (2nd from right, top row), the meeting provided the new members the opportunity to introduce themselves and their respective businesses and activities, their motivation for joining YEGAP, and what they expect from their membership in the Group.

YEGAP Chairman Mr. Mangesh Lal Shrestha (2nd from right middle row) was also on hand to welcome the new members and to elaborate on YEGAP’s vision and aspirations. YEGAP is one of the Product and Service Councils established under the CACCI umbrella and aims to provide a venue for young entrepreneurs in CACCI member countries to get actively involved in entrepreneurial development and help promote regional economic cooperation in Asia-Pacific.

Former FPCCI VP Khurram Tariq Sayeed called on CACCI VP & Kowloon CC Chairman Ernest Yuen

Khurram Tariq Sayeed, Former Vice President FPCCI called on the CACCI Chamber Vice President & Chairman Kowloon Chamber of Commerce Ernest Ka Lok Yuen at the Kowloon Chamber in Hong Kong on May 25, 2022.

Present during the meeting were Vice Chairmen Kowloon Chamber Lin Wei Qiao & Wyler Wong Lai Tang, Vice President Kowloon Chamber Dr. Leslie P.Y. Wong, Secretary Cezarine Lee & Trade Development Officer Pakistan Consulate Hong Kong Ali Awan among others.

Various proposals to increase trade and investment among CACCI Chamber members as well as bilateral trade between Pakistan and Hong Kong came under discussion. Mr. Sayeed identified Real Estate and IT sectors as having great potential for investment in Pakistan. He once again extended invitation of FPCCI to CACCI Chamber delegation to visit Pakistan to further enhance interaction between CACCI Chamber and Pakistan.

Invitation to the Introduction to Chamber Model Innovation Workshop

CACCI invites Chamber members to participate in the virtual Introduction to the Chamber Model Innovation (CMI) Workshop to be conducted jointly by CACCI and the Dubai Chambers on September 13, 2022, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM, Taipei Time.

As chamber members are well aware, the world has seen drastic changes in the regional and international market environment as a result of the global pandemic. At the same time, the speed of technology adoption by business and society continues to accelerate. Today, chambers of commerce are facing the new realities where members’ needs evolve rapidly, making the old services increasingly irrelevant.

Chambers therefore need to review their approach and strategy of developing and delivering services, with the view to enabling their organization not only to survive but also to thrive going forward amidst current changes and challenges in the regional and world markets.

CACCI is therefore joining the WCC/ICC initiative led by Dubai Chambers by organizing the CMI Workshop on September 13 to provide a pathway and tangible solutions to enable CACCI member chambers to start innovating continuously while putting their constituencies’ needs at the forefront of service development. Attached herewith is the latest Workshop Program for your perusal.

The CMI framework was pioneered by Dubai Chambers and further refined by the WCF Task Force Chamber 4.0. The methodology could assist chambers in two major ways, namely: (a) redefine the value of chambers to their current and prospective members; and (b) help chambers to focus on businesses’ needs, to become a data driven and resilient organization, and a more attractive employer for the best talent in their respective markets.  By attending the Workshop, you and your colleagues will join fellow leaders in the chambers’ community in exploring tips, tools and guidance to implement CMI within your Chamber.

We encourage as many officers and staff members from your Chamber to attend the Workshop. Chamber’s participants  can register for the workshop by clicking HERE.

If you have further question, please contact us at cacci@cacci.biz.

Introduction to the Chamber Model Innovation Workshop for CACCI Members

13 September 2022, 2:00pm – 03:30pm, Taipei Time

Moderator
Peter McMullin, Vice President, CACCI

2.00 – 2.20 pm Opening remarks
Samir Modi, President CACCI
Hassan Al Hashimi, Vice President, International Relations at Dubai Chambers

2.20 – 2.50 pm Chamber Model Approach
Natalia Sycheva, Head of Strategy at Dubai Chambers

2.50 – 2.55 pm CMI Playbook: Explained
Natalia Sycheva, Head of Strategy at Dubai Chambers

2.55 – 3.10 pm Experiment Case study from Dubai Chambers
Fatma Almadani, Senior Specialist, Strategy at Dubai Chambers

3.10 –3.30 pm Q&A

CACCI Profile – August edition available

CACCI is pleased to announce that the August 2022 issue of CACCI Profile is now available! Please click here to read or download.

This month’s issue highlights the meeting between President Samir Modi and Asian ICT Chair James Chiao on a potential webinar introducing smart solutions for businesses. It also includes a recap of the first-ever orientation for new YEGAP members. Additionally, the newsletter features the latest news from Member Chambers, along with a wide range of articles relevant to business and trade.

It is our ardent hope that this monthly publication is useful to you and your work, and enables you to know more about the CACCI, our members, and their activities.

If you wish other members of your organization to receive a copy of the CACCI Profile, please send us their names, titles/positions, and email addresses through cacci@cacci.biz

We would also appreciate receiving your comments on how we can further improve the CACCI Profile in terms of its format and contents.

If you have any articles you wish to share with our members, you are welcome to send these to us, with accompanying photos if possible through cacci@cacci.biz.

YEGAP Talks with Mangesh Lal Shrestha from Kathmandu

CACCI is inviting members and friends to the third session of  YEGAP Talks to be held on September 16th 2022 at 3PM (Taipei Time) where stories and experiences of successful young Asian entrepreneurs are shared with participants.

To be moderated by Michael Lee, CEO of CreBiz Factory, South Korea, the one-hour webinar format session will feature Mangesh Lal Shrestha, Global Vice President for Growth of Frost & Sullivan, a company engaged in ICT, Digital, Data Center, AI, Consulting, Distribution, Software, System Integration, Managed Service, BFSI, Telecom, and Agrotech. Based in Kathmandu, but always flying everywhere, Mangesh will share his inspiration, his entrepreneurship journey, the challenges he faces, the complexity of international business and the rewards.

We hope you register HERE for the next YEGAP Talks with Mangesh scheduled on September 16^th 2022 at 3PM (Taipei time.)

Khulan Davaadorj discussed Entrepreneurship in Mongolia in YEGAP Talks #2

The second session of  YEGAP Talks held on August 19^th 2022 presented another webinar focused on stories and experiences of successful young Asian entrepreneurs such as Khulan Davaadorj, Founder and CEO of LHAMOUR.

Moderated by Michael Lee, CEO of CreBiz Factory, South Korea, the one-hour second session featured Khulan Davaadorj, Founder and CEO of LHAMOUR, Mongolia’s first organic skincare line. Khulan started LHAMOUR with the vision to be a leading role model, demonstrating to the world market that Mongolia can produce high-quality products. While her entrepreneurship journey has been difficult, her strong values propelled her to her present success.

You can view the fulll video recording of the August 19^th YEGAP Talks with Khulan here.

We also hope you register HERE for the next YEGAP Talks show scheduled on September 16^th 2022 at 3PM (Taipei time) with Mangesh Lal Shrestha, CEO of Frost & Sullivan, a company engaged in ICT, Digital, Data Center, AI, Consulting, Distribution, Software, System Integration, Managed Service, BFSI, Telecom, and Agrotech in Kathmandu.

ACCI renews Memorandum of Understanding with Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry on August 1^st 2022 hosted Mr. Arshad Rasjid, chair of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN), Indonesian Ambassador to Australia, Dr. Siswo Pramono, and a delegation of Indonesian business leaders.

During the delegation’s visit, the Chamber oversaw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with KADIN dedicated to further enhancing trade and investment linkages through the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA).

The signing renews an MOU first signed in 2016. The MOU was signed by KADIN chairman Arshad Rasjid and ACCI chief executive Andrew McKellar and reaffirms their commitment to further promote growth and prosperity between Australia and Indonesia, one of the world’s fastest growing economies.

The agreement is expected to help elevate the two organisations’ already strong levels of cooperation and comes amid the Chambers’ work in facilitating further commercial opportunities in both Australian and Indonesian markets. ACCI’s leadership in further advancing a forwardleaning Indonesia policy will be further on display when the Chamber represents Australian business at the forthcoming B20 Summit in Indonesia. Australia and Indonesia are the only members of the B20 in South East Asia.

ACCI chief executive Andrew McKellar said: “The world needs less protectionism and more collaboration. We need meaningful cooperation and real teamwork to address the new global challenges of today. “The renewed Memorandum of Understanding between the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry reaffirms our commitment to enhance the collaborative partnership between our countries. “ACCI and KADIN are pleased to take this step forward today alongside partners and friends to advance our common purpose of promoting Australia-Indonesia commercial relations,” Mr. McKellar added.

ACCI News

YEGAP Talks with Khulan Davaadorj, Founder and CEO of LHAMOUR

The Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) is pleased to invite you and your friends to attend the second YEGAP TALKS Session to be held virtually on August 19, 2022 at 3:00 PM, Taipei Time (GMT + 8).

YEGAP TALKS is a virtual talk show devoted to the stories and experiences of young entrepreneurs.

As a platform organized by CACCI’s Young Entrepreneurs Group of Asia-Pacific (YEGAP), YEGAP TALKS is open to one and all, with the aim of bringing together young people and entrepreneurs, to share their stories in the hope of inspiring one another and creating a better future.

Our second session will feature Khulan Davaadorj, Founder and CEO of LHAMOUR, Mongolia’s first organic skincare line. Khulan started LHAMOUR with the vision to be a leading role model, proving people that Mongolia can produce high quality products. Join us and listen to Khulan talk about her entrepreneurship journey and what propelled her to her present success.

Register for the second session on August 19 HERE.

 The Program:

(1) Welcome Remarks by David Hsu, CACCI Director-General (1 min)
(2) Introduction of Speaker by Michael Lee, YEGAP Executive Committee Member and Session moderator (3 mins)
(3) The Young Entrepreneur’s Journey of Khulan Davaadorj (15 mins)
(4) Interview with Khulan (20 mins)
(5) Q&A with the audience (10 mins)

Speaker:

Khulan Davaadorj
Founder & CEO, LHAMOUR, Mongolia

Khulan Davaadorj is a Mongolian entrepreneur who founded her company called LHAMOUR LLC in 2014, with the aim to produce natural and healthy products with unique Mongolian raw materials in the most environmentally friendly way. She started Mongolia’s first ever organic skincare brand LHAMOUR with the vision to be a leading role model, proving people that Mongolia can produce high quality products. A lot of the focus in the last decades was on political reforms and natural resource exploitation. There is no single brand or product from Mongolia that is globally recognized and even in Mongolia the image of local products has widely been seen as low quality. Khulan wants to change this image as she sees that she can use traditional ways to be incorporated into modern forms, which can be accepted globally, especially with the global increase of demand for organic and healthy products.

Mike Lee (Session Moderator)
CEO @CreBizFactory, South Korea

Michael is a young entrepreneur engaged in education and consulting businesses. He has extensive experience helping young entrepreneurs launch their business at the local, national and internationally level. As member of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Michael also works with chambers and business associations promoting private businesses in North and South America, as well as networking with global institutions such as B20. Michael is a member of YEGAP’s Executive Committee.

You are encouraged to share this invitation with your friends and business partners.

For further information, please contact cacci.yegap@gmail.com.

XVIII CACCI Health & Education newsletter available

CACCI is pleased to share with members and friends the 18^th Volume of the CACCI Health & Education Newsletter by clicking HERE.

We hope that this publication will serve as an effective platform for an exchange of information among the health and education sectors in the CACCI region.  Members are, therefore, encouraged to contribute articles for our future issues.  Kindly forward your materials (preferably with accompanying photos) to wendy.yang@cacci.org.tw .

CACCI Profile – July edition available

CACCI is pleased to announce that the July 2022 issue of CACCI Profile is now available! Please click here to read or download.

This month’s issue highlights the inclusion of the CACCI Study on “Rebuilding the World Trading System” in the list of Best Mid-Year Reads in Economics in 2022 curated by Martin Wolf of the Financial Times. It also includes a recap of the first-ever session of YEGAP Talks, a new virtual talk show launched by CACCI’s Young Entrepreneurs Group of Asia-Pacific (YEGAP). Additionally, the newsletter features the latest news from Member Chambers, along with a wide range of articles relevant to business and trade.

It is our ardent hope that this monthly publication is useful to you and your work, and enables you to know more about the CACCI, our members, and their activities.

If you wish other members of your organization to receive a copy of the CACCI Profile, please send us their names, titles/positions, and email addresses through cacci@cacci.biz

We would also appreciate receiving your comments on how we can further improve the CACCI Profile in terms of its format and contents.

If you have any articles you wish to share with our members, you are welcome to send these to us, with accompanying photos if possible through cacci@cacci.biz.

CACCI Director-General pays visit to MOFA officers

CACCI Director-General David Hsu (2^nd from left), along with Senior Officer Abby Moreno (left), paid a visit to the Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on December 20, 2022 where he met with Director-General Y.C. Tsai (2^nd from right) and Deputy Director-General Isaac M. Chiu (right) of the Department of International Cooperation and Economic Affairs.

Mr. Hsu congratulated the two gentlemen on their new posts abroad. Director-General Tsai will be heading to Italy in January to assume his new post as Ambassador of the Taipei Representative Office in Italy. Deputy Director-General Chiu, meanwhile, will be serving as Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Surabaya, Indonesia from February.

Mr. Hsu relayed the news of the recently concluded 36^th CACCI Conference in Melbourne, as well as CACCI’s newly elected President Mr. Peter McMullin, who is based in Australia. They then touched on potential forums and activities that CACCI can spearhead under the new leadership, and also briefly discussed the important role of CACCI in bridging trade networks between Europe and Asia.

YEGAP Talks #1 with Papua New Guinea Serial Entrepreneur Vani Nades

CACCI’s Young Entrepreneurs Group of Asia-Pacific (YEGAP) recently held the first session of YEGAP TALKS on July 22, 2022 at 3:00 PM, Taipei Time (GMT + 8).

YEGAP TALKS is a virtual talk show devoted to the stories and experiences of young entrepreneurs. As a platform organized by CACCI’s Young Entrepreneurs Group of Asia-Pacific (YEGAP), YEGAP TALKS is open to one and all, with the aim of bringing together young people and entrepreneurs, to share their stories in the hope of inspiring one another and creating a better future.
The first session featured Vani Nades, CEO of Emstret Holdings Limited, a provider of affordable internet services in Papua New Guinea.

A serial entrepreneur, she’s also a big advocate of youth development. David Hsu, Director-General of CACCI, started off the session with a few words introducing CACCI and YEGAP. This was followed by brief welcome remarks from Khulan Davaadorj, chair of YEGAP’s Learning & Networking Committee.

Session moderator Michael Lee introduced Vani with a short video on her company Emstret, and the work they do bringing connectivity to all parts of Papua New Guinea. Vani then went on to talk about her entrepreneurship journey — how she got started with Emstret, her struggles as a woman in a traditionally maledominated industry, and her present success and plans for the future.

During the interview with Michael, Vani talked about how she built up her confidence when she was still starting, and how she currently balances her work and family life. The session ended after a short Q&A with the audience.

The recording of the July 22 session with Vani is available on the YEGAP Talks Youtube channel. Watch it here.

Meanwhile, the next two sessions of YEGAP Talks are scheduled for August 19, with Khulan Davaadorj; and September 16, with Mangesh Lal Shrestha. Khulan is the founder and CEO of Lhamour, Mongolia’s first organic skincare brand, and was awarded Woman of the Year by Mongolia’s Prime Minister in 2016.

Mangesh, meanwhile, is Global VP of Growth at Frost & Sullivan in Nepal. He is also the current chairman of YEGAP.

ICT Chairman Invited as Guest Speaker at the “2022 Transformation Summit”

Mr. James Chiao, CEO of Smart City Consulting Co. Ltd. and Chairman of Asian ICT Council of CACCI, participated virtually as Guest Speaker during the first day of the three-day “2022
Transformation Summit” organized by Cebu IT BMP. Organization.

Mr. Chiao, who also serves as Chairman of the Smart Cities Committee of the Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association (CIECA), spoke on the important role of smart
city solutions in shaping the future of a city, and outlined areas where Taiwan – through its links to many experts not just in the country but in other regions as well – can help in providing the right and tailor-made smart city solutions for Cebu.

At the end of the session, Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama said he would connect with Mr. Chiao to seek his assistance in making the Philippine’s second largest metropolis a Smart City just like Taipei and other cities in Taiwan

1st YEGAP Talks Session on July 22, 2022 – Register now

The Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) is pleased to invite members and friends to attend the first YEGAP TALKS #1 to be held virtually on July 22, 2022 at 3:00 PM, Taipei Time (GMT + 8).

YEGAP TALKS is a virtual talk show devoted to the stories and experiences of young entrepreneurs.

As a platform organized by CACCI’s Young Entrepreneurs Group of Asia-Pacific (YEGAP), YEGAP TALKS is open to one and all, with the aim of bringing together young people and entrepreneurs, to share their stories in the hope of inspiring one another and creating a better future.

Our first session will feature Vani Nades, CEO of Emstret Holdings Limited, a provider of affordable internet services in Papua New Guinea. A serial entrepreneur, she’s also a big advocate of youth development. Join us and listen to Vani talk about her life and dreams, successes and failures.

Register for the first session on July 22 at https://bit.ly/YEGAPTALKS

The Program

(1) Welcome Remarks by David Hsu, CACCI Director-General (1 min)
(2) Welcome Remarks by Khulan Davaadorj, YEGAP Learning and Networking Committee Chair (1 min)
(3) Introduction of Speaker by Michael Lee, YEGAP Executive Committee Member and Session moderator (3 mins)
(4) The Young Entrepreneur’s Journey of Vani Nades (15 mins)
(5) Interview with Vani (20 mins)
(6) Q&A with the audience (10 mins)

Speakers

Vani Nades
Founder & CEO @Emstret Holdings Ltd., Papua New Guinea

She is a leader who has made a significant contribution to the business community in Papua New Guinea. Having been in the education sector for 20 years, she has contributed greatly to the industry. Beyond her commitment to education, she has a passion for making a difference and giving hope to the community. With her experience, she provides potential for increased access to skills and opportunities for Papua New Guineans. She has founded several businesses: internet service provider Emstret Holdings Limited, entrepreneurs’ coworking hub Emstret Space Limited, Little CEO Pizza Delivery, e commerce marketplace Shopsmart PNG Limited, and the businesses’ community arm serving rural communities the Voices for Villages Foundation. “I believe wholeheartedly in Entrepreneurship as it fosters innovation, create jobs and more so promote economic development. The exciting part of it is an idea put into action that creates new business” Vani Nades

Mike Lee (Session Moderator)
CEO @CreBizFactory, South Korea

Michael is a young entrepreneur engaged in education and consulting businesses. He has extensive experience helping young entrepreneurs launch their business at the local, national and internationally level. As member of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Michael also works with chambers and business associations promoting private businesses in North and South America, as well as networking with global institutions such as B20. Michael is a member of YEGAP’s Executive Committee.

For further information, please contact cacci.yegap@gmail.com.

India’s Trade Representative in Taiwan Makes Courtesy Call on CACCI Secretariat

Mr. Dhananjay Singh Yadav, Deputy Director-General at the India Taipei Association (center) and Mr. Wen-Che Hsieh, Secretary (Commerce) (rightmost) on July 6 were received by CACCI officers led by Director-General Mr. David Hsu ((2nd from right) and officers of CTBC Bank at the CACCI Secretariat office in Taipei.

The visit provided both sides the opportunity to introduce their respective organizations to each other and identify activities where they may provide mutually beneficial support and cooperation.

Yo

Young entrepreneurs from Iran on July 5, 2022 met virtually with officers of the CACCI Secretariat to introduce themselves, as well as to have a greater understanding about CACCI and its
activities, to convey their expectations for joining the Young Entrepreneurs Group of Asia-Pacific (YEGAP), and to know the planned activities of YEGAP in the months ahead and how they can
actively participate in them. YEGAP is one of the Product and Service Councils of CACCI which aims to promote entrepreneurship not only among CACCI member countries but also in countries
outside the Asia Pacific region.

36th CACCI Conference

Thanks to the arrangements made by CACCI Vice President Mr. Peter McMullin, the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and CACCI will jointly hold the 36^th CACCI Conference on November 28-30, 2022 in Melbourne, the capital of the Australian state of Victoria, which is located in the southeastern part of the country. Sitting on the banks of the Yarra River and around the shores of Port Phillip Bay, the city has a population of over 5 million.

Melbourne and the State of Victoria host some of Australia’s most prestigious events throughout the year, such as the Spring Racing Carnival culminating in the Melbourne Cup in November, the Australian Open Tennis in January, and the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, among others.

The Program

This year’s Conference in Melbourne will provide the delegates the opportunity not only to network with leading businessmen from the region but also to meet with international and regional experts who will share their views on how to address the challenges and grasp the opportunities presented by the ongoing transformation in the regional and global trade and investment environment.

Registration HERE.
Late registrant please contact CACCI Secretariat at cacci@cacci.biz

Arrival of Delegates / Registration

NOVEMBER 28, 2022

08:00am – 08:45am Registration (Foyer)
08:45am – 08:55am Official Welcome by Mr. Paul Guerra, Chief Executive, Victorian CCI (Foyer)
09:00am – 10:30am Parallel Breakout Sessions (Group One)

Group One

(1) Asian ICT Council: “Promoting Smart Solutions in the Post-Pandemic Era” (Meeting Room 216)

• Natasha Bunshaw, General Manager, National Delivery, DB Results
• Tal Nathan, Head of Go to Market Aus, NTT

Session Chairman: Mr. James Chiao, Chairman & CEO, SmartCities Consulting Technology Co.

(2) SME Development Council: “Promoting Digitalization Among SMEs” (Meeting Room 217)

• Martin Koval, Client Director, Pitcher Partners
• Sudha Viswanathan, Client Director, Pitcher Partners on “Data analytics – overcoming the challenge of legacy systems to drive better business decisions”
• Charly Gordon, Global Policy Lead, International Chamber of Commerce

Session Chairman: Mr. Jemal Inaishvili, Member, CACCI Advisory Board

(3) Asian Council on Food & Agriculture: “Recent Trends and Developments in the Food and Agriculture Sectors” (Meeting Room 218)

• Professor Susan Dodds, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Industry Engagement, La Trobe University
• Justin Lemmens, CEO, Sustainable Foods Ltd.
• Jen Taylor, Deputy Director, Science, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Agriculture and Food

Session Chairman: Mr. Pradeep Kumar Shrestha, Managing Director, Panchakanya Group

10:30am – 11:00am Morning Tea Break (Foyer)
11:00am – 12:30am Parallel Breakout Sessions (Group Two)

Group Two

(4) Young Entrepreneurs Group of Asia-Pacific: “Promoting Entrepreneurship in the Age of Economic Disruptions” (Meeting Room 216)

• Julia Truong, Founder & Director, JT. Production Management
• Michael Lim, Founder and Managing Director of Beyond Value
• Vani Nades, Founder & CEO, Emstreet Holdings
• Jay Thian, General Manager, Luxurily Group

Session Chairman: Mr. Rommel Gerodias, Vice Chairman of YEGAP; President A101 Innovations Inc.

(5) Asian Council on Tourism: “Post-COVID Trends and Challenges in Tourism” (Meeting Room 217)

• Shae Keenan, Chief Marketing Officer, Visit Victoria
• Syed Habib Ali, Chairman, Tourism Developers Association of Bangladesh
• Gerelsaikhan Tsolmon, Head of Department of Foreign Relations and Cooperation, Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Session Chairman: Mr. Anura Lokuhetty, Chairman of Red Apple Travels & Holidays Lanka Pvt Ltd, Chairman of Luxury Villas and Hotel Management Pvt Ltd and Managing Director of Sooriya Resort and Spa.

12:30pm – 01:45pm Lunch Break (Foyer)
01:45pm – 02:45pm *Policy Advocacy Working Group Meeting (Meeting Room 218)

01:45pm-03:45pm “Discover Business Opportunities Through CACCI” (Meeting Rooms 219 & 220)

• Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Presenter: Scott Venkeer, Chief Executive, Melbourne Chamber of Commerce.
• Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce (CNAIC) – Presenter: James Shi Chu, Secretary General
• Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) – Presenter: Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, President.
• Bogota Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Representing Pacific Alliance) – Presenter: Maria Monica Conde Barragan, Vice President of International Affairs.
• Indian Ocean Rim Business Forum (IORBF) – Presenter: Sheikh Fazle Fahim, Chair, IORBF & President, Developing 8 National Chambers of Commerce and Industry) (To be confirmed)

Session Chairman/Moderator: Mr. George Abraham, Chairman and Managing Director, The GA Group Pte. Ltd.

03:45pm-5:00pm Business Matching meetings (Meeting Rooms 212 & 213)

* CACCI Members Only Meetings

02:00pm-03:00pm *Advisory Board Meeting (Meeting Room 215)
03:00pm-04:00pm *Budget Commission Meeting (Meeting Room 215)
04:00pm-05:00pm *95th CACCI Council Meeting (Meeting Room 2018)

05:00pm-06:30pm       Welcome Reception/Cocktails (Courtyard)

• Mr. Paul Guerra, Chief Executive, VCCI
• Mr. Samir Modi, President, CACCI
• The Hon. John Brumby AO, Chancellor of La Trobe University and a Professor (Honorary) in the Faculty of Business & Economic, University of Melbourne

NOVEMBER 29, 2022

36th CACCI Conference

Emerging Powerhouses: How chambers of commerce will define the new economy

As the world continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses around the world are actively seeking ways to create new commercial opportunities and navigate the changing operating environment. Chambers of Commerce are ideally placed to define the new economy and assist businesses navigate it. The Conference will explore the following themes and how Chamber of Commerce can play a leadership role:  (a) How industries are transforming themselves in response to emerging demands and issues in the business environment;  (b) Explore the combinations of big and little changes in technology, workforce demographics, customer needs, competition, and legislation happening every day that can transform the business environment; and  (c) How business can leverage new and emerging opportunities for growth and profitability.

08:00am – 09:00am Registration (Foyer)
09:00am – 09:30am  Opening Ceremony (Meeting Rooms 219 and 220)

• Welcome Remarks by Mr. Paul Guerra, Chief Executive, Victorian CCI
• Welcome Statement by Mr. Samir Modi, President, CACCI
• Keynote Address by Mr. John  Denton AO, Secretary General, ICC World Chambers Federation

09:30am – 11:00am  Plenary Session 1: The Evolving World Trading System: Implications for Business (Meeting Rooms 219 and 220)

The world needs trade and investment to drive growth and development. Trade and investment activity, in turn, results from a great quantity of individual commercial decisions taken by businesses, large and small, around the world. This session will discuss how Chambers of Commerce can position themselves as global players in influencing the emerging trade system. Speakers will share their views on ways in which the world trading system, beginning with the WTO which is at its center, can better serve the needs of today’s private enterprise, and how understanding and addressing these concerns will not only be beneficial for productivity and living standards across the world, but also would encourage private enterprises, especially smaller firms, to become more active participants and advocates for trade.

• Mr. Dan Tehan, Former Australian Minister for Trade and Current Shadow Minister for Immigration (To be confirmed)
• Mr. Bryan Clark, Director, Australian Centre for International Trade and Investment
• Mr. Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, President, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry
• Dr. Mohammad Khazaee, Director Gener for ICC Iran
• Mr. Henrik Isakson, In-charge of Trade Affairs, Confederation of Swedish Enterprise

Session Chairman/Moderator: Dr. Andrew Stoeckel, Honorary Professor, Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University

11:00am – 11:30am Morning Tea Break (Foyer)
11:00am – 11:30am Press Conference (Meeting Room 215)

11:30am – 12:30pm Plenary Session 2 Asian Business: Leveraging New Technologies to Drive Transformation and Growth (Meeting Rooms 219 and 220)

As more activities shift online post-COVID-19, the emerging digital has tremendous potential for further growth. This session will examine opportunities presented by new technologies (block chain, AI and machine learning, digital platforms, 3D printing, mobile payments, smart cities/smart health care, etc.) to make businesses – especially SMEs – more innovative, more efficient, less costly, increase their access to finance, and be more responsive to the changing needs of customers. Invited speakers will highlight the strengths of Asia-Pacific countries in driving innovation for sustainable and inclusive economic growth and point out how Chambers of Commerce can be a leading player in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.

• Mr. Andrew Cumpston, State Director, Victoria State Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Mr. Mark Harwood, Chief Executive Officer, ygap
• Dr. Alireza Yavari, Deputy President for International Affairs, ICCIMA
• Mr. Aloysius Wee, Chairman, ASEAN Legal Alliance, Co-Managing Principal, Aquinas Law Alliance LLP

Session Chairman/Moderator: Mr. Peter McMullin AM, Founder, The Good Business Foundation, Vice President, CACCI

12:30pm – 01:45pm Lunch Break (Foyer)

02:00pm – 03:00pm Plenary Session 3: Sectoral Strategies for Business Recovery to Ensure Regional Prosperity (Meeting Rooms 219 and 220)

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in large and abrupt drop in economic activity. The impact has varied dramatically across different sectors of the economy. This has highlighted the need for structural reforms to support sustainable economic recovery. Invited speakers will discuss the need for an analysis of different sectors, their potential for future growth, and the support they need to help them and the economies in the region get back on track. They will also elaborate on the importance of a stronger collaboration between governments and businesses to enable economies to address many of the challenges and ensure a sustainable and inclusive recovery. Central to this will the role Chambers of Commerce in the region can take in helping achieve this objective.

• Mr. Rommel Gerodias, Vice Chairman, YEGAP, President A101 Innovations Inc.
• Mr. Stuart Thomson, Executive Director, Good Business Foundation
• Gerelsaikahan Tsolmon, Head of Department of Foreign Relations and Cooperation, Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Session Chairman/Moderator: Mr. Sheikh Fazle Fahim, Vice President, CACCI, Former President, FBCCI

03:00pm – 3:30pm Afternoon Tea Break (Foyer)

03:30pm – 04:30pm Plenary Session 4: Building Back Better: Creating a Business Model for a Resilient Future (Meeting Rooms 219 and 220)

The past two years have seen new challenges and opportunities emerging, prompting many companies to transform themselves and reinvent their business models. This session will feature business leaders who will share their views on how to capitalize on this new momentum, how to accelerate the innovation they have tapped, and how to optimize their businesses for the new global reality.  They will elaborate on how a company must have its radar tuned to changes in the external environment and quickly react to refine or reinvent its business model. The session will address how Chambers of Commerce can support businesses across the Asia-Pacific through cross-sector partnerships, and how CACCI can play a role in influencing policy decisions at all levels to create a business environment capable of meeting future challenges.

• Ms. Naina Subberwal Batra, CEO, Australian Venture Philanthropy Network
• Mr. Khurram Sayeed, Former Vice President, Federation of Pakistan CCIs, CEO, Planet Energy Pvt Ltd
• Mr. Manish Singhal, Deputy Secretary General, FICCI, Federation of Indian CCIs

Session Chairman/Moderator: Mr. Samir Modi, President, CACCI, Managing Director, Modi Enterprises

04:45pm – 05:45pm 96th CACCI Council Meeting (Meeting Room 218)
06.30pm Gala Dinner

(1) Welcome Remarks
(2) Oathtaking Ceremony for YEGAP Members
(3) Presentation of CACCI Awards
(4) Presentation of Distinguished Service Award to Mr. Ken Court, CACCI Advisory Board Chairman
(5) Presentation of Certificates of Conferment as CACCI President Emeritus to Former Presidents Harvey Chang, Amb. Benedicto Yujuico and Jemal Inaishvili
(6) Presentation of Plaque of Appreciation to Victorian CCI
(7) Turnover Ceremonies for Incoming CACCI President
(8) Video Presentation on Venue of 37th CACCI Conference

NOVEMBER 30, 2022 

(1) Optional Post-Conference City-Tour
(2) Departure of delegates

Here is the video about Melbourne, to give members an idea on what the city has to offer and what awaits ahead during CACCI’s annual Conference next year.

Registration HERE.
Late registrant please contact CACCI Secretariat at cacci@cacci.biz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcBPVFxgaUw

CACCI VP McMullin meets Indonesian Minister, KADIN, ICC & B20

CACCI Vice President Peter McMullin AM attended a range of meetings recently on his visit to Indonesia starting mid-June 2022. During the first leg of his itinerary, VP McMullin met with Indonesian International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Executive Director Lusiana S. Indomo; Executive Coordinator of the Asia-Pacific Centre of Entrepreneurship Jakarta Hub Nunki Juniarti; and Mr. Haryadi Sarpini from the ICC Banking Commission in Jakarta. The meetings were productive in understanding the local business dynamics, and the measures taken by government and industry as Indonesia continues recovering from the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Mr. McMullin’s also included a visit to West Java where he observed Fin Tech CROWDE’s collaborative work with medium sized farmers through a loan guarantee system providing jobs and secure incomes for rural people.

The last stage of his Indonesian trip was in Bali, where he attended the B20 Network Partners Consultation and the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) Conference 2022 held from June 21-24, 2022. During this high-level setting, Mr. McMullin also had the opportunity to met with a range of important business and political leaders, including the Minister for Tourism and the Creative Economy of Indonesia, Mr. Sandiaga Uno, and KADIN Chairman Mr. Arsjad Rasjid.

After Indonesia, Mr. McMullin’s international program continued with a visit to Singapore for high level meetings with local business leaders before returning to Australia.

CACCI Profile – June edition available

Taipei – We are pleased to announce that the June 2022 issue of CACCI Profile is now available! Please click HERE to read or download.

This month’s issue includes reports on the CACCI Director-General meeting with Taiwan Representative of CACCI Member Countries, Preparations for the 36th CACCI Conference, recent meeting of the YEGAP Executive Committee, other news from Member Chambers, along with a wide range of articles relevant to business and trade.

It is our ardent hope that this monthly publication is useful to you and your work, and enables you to know more about the CACCI, our members, and their activities.

If you wish other members of your organization to receive a copy of the CACCI Profile, please send us their names, titles/positions, and email addresses through cacci@cacci.biz

We would also appreciate receiving your comments on how we can further improve the CACCI Profile in terms of its format and contents.

If you have any articles you wish to share with our members, you are welcome to send these to us, with accompanying photos if possible through cacci@cacci.biz.

YEGAP holds second Executive Committee Meeting of the year

The YEGAP Executive Committee held its second meeting for 2022 on June 14, 2022, at 2:00 PM Taipei Time, with YEGAP Chairman Mr. Mangesh Lal Shrestha presiding. Discussions focused on updates regarding the plans of each of the six YEGAP committees, as well as proposed YEGAP activities in preparation for the upcoming 36th CACCI Conference that will be held in Melbourne in
late November.

Among the items discussed included:

• YEGAP Breakout Session on Day 1 of the Conference, which will introduce YEGAP and talk about what the group has done so far as well as activities for the future and plans for expansion. It will also include a discussion on “Taking Asia towards an Entrepreneurship-Driven Recovery.”

• Plenary Session 3 on Day 2 of the Conference, which will focus on “Sectoral Strategies for Business Recovery to Ensure Regional Prosperity.” This session will invite speakers who will share their perspectives on the need for an analysis of different sectors, their potential for future growth, and the support they need to help them and economies in the region get back on track. The Executive Committee may be able to nominate speakers to represent YEGAP during this session.

• Oathtaking Ceremony for the YEGAP Executive Committee which will take place during the Gala Dinner on Day 2 of the Conference. It will allow the EC members to affirm their commitment to the duties associated with their role in YEGAP, and to be recognized by CACCI leaders, members, and guests.

• MOU Signing with other young entrepreneur groups from the region and outside outlining possible areas of collaboration.

• Networking sessions to be conducted with CACCI Officers and Council Members is also being considered along with fun social interaction sessions (i.e. wine and dine events), a strategic Executive Committee Meeting to be conducted offsite, site visits, as well as strategic meetings with Australian Government or Australian Young Entrepreneurs groups.

Salauddin Yousuf, CACCI Lifetime Special Member from Bangladesh wins Dairy Icon award

Director of Companiganj Agro-Industries Limited Md Salauddin Yousuf receives the ‘Dairy Icon’ award in Milk/Meat processing value category from Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul
Karim.

New CACCI Director-General Meets with Taiwan Representatives of CACCI Member Countries

CACCI Director-General Mr. David Hsu paid visits to the embassies of Thailand, Mongolia and Malaysia in May and June. The purposes of these meetings included: (1) to get a further understanding on each country’s latest economic development; (2) to introduce to them each country’s participation and involvement in CACCI’s activities; and (3) to request for their strong support of CACCI’s activities and increase the cooperation and interaction between CACCI
and these countries.

Visit to the Thailand Trade and Economic Office

a. Thailand Trade and Economic Office – Mr. David Hsu, former CACCI Director-General Mr. Ernest Lin and CTBC Financial Holding Company Consultant Mr. Joseph Huang met with Mr. Twekiat Janprajak, Executive Director, Thailand Trade & Economic Office, on May 3.

Visit to the Ulaanbaatar Trade and Economic Representative Office in Taipei

b. Ulaanbaatar Trade and Economic Representative Office in Taipei – Mr. David Hsu, accompanied by CTBC Financial Holding Company Consultant Mr. Joseph Huang and CACCI Senior Officer Ms. Wendy Yang, made a courtesy call on the Mongolian Representative Mr. Zolzaya Lkhagvasuren on June 7.

Visit to the Malaysian Friendship and Trade Centre, Taipei

c. Malaysian Friendship and Trade Centre, Taipei – Mr. David Hsu, accompanied by former CACCI Director-General Mr. Ernest Lin and CTBC Financial Holding Company Consultant Mr. Joseph Huang, paid a visit to Ms. Sharon Ho Swee Peng, President of Malaysian Friendship and Trade Centre, Taipei on June 20.

CACCI Newsletter on Food and Agriculture available

We are pleased to issue the Eighteenth Volume of CACCI Food and Agriculture Newsletter, the latest publication of the Asian Council on Food and Agriculture raedy for download HERE.

We hope this publication will serve as an effective platform for an exchange of information among the food & agriculture sector in the CACCI region. Members are, therefore, encouraged to contribute articles for our future issues. Kindly forward your materials (preferably with accompanying photos) to: wendy.yang@cacci.biz .

CACCI Profile – May edition available

CACCI VP Peter McMullin call on former President Xanana Gusmao

On 20 May, Dr Jose Ramos Horta was sworn in as the new president of Timor-Leste after a solid victory on the 19 March 2022 election.

Dr. Horta clearly defeated a crowded field of 16 candidates with the critical support of the country’s pre-eminent political figure, Xanana Gusmao, who is considered the founding father of Timor-Leste.

During the inaugural events of Dr. Horta’s Presidency, CACCI Vice President Peter McMullin had the opportunity to call on former President Xanana Gusmao to congratulate him for the coalition’s success and show CACCI’s interest in continuing helping Timor-Leste’s policies for economic development and trade.

In the photo, Executive Director of The Good Business Foundation Stuart Thompson, CACCI Vice President Peter McMullin, former President Xanana Gusmao, and other guests.

CACCI and Asian Council for Small Business Philippines Conduct Virtual Meeting

Officers of the Asian Council for Small Business (ACSB) Philippines met virtually with CACCI Secretariat staff led by Director-General Mr. David Hsu on May 19 to exchange views on possible areas of cooperation.

ACSB Philippines President Ms. Arlene Martinez and Founding Trustee Ms. Yayu Javier made an introduction on their organization, including its function, operation and strategic goals, though a PowerPoint presentation. They reported that ACSB Philippines is part of the Asian Council for Small Business which, in turn, is a member of the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), which is the global platform established in support of SMEs.

In its presentation, ACSB Philippines also shared that it has established partnerships with different private organizations and government agencies, including The Department of Trade and
Industry of the Philippines (DTI). Since its launch in 2021, ACSB Philippines has aimed to help the 900,000 SMEs in the Philippines explore the access to ASEAN and global markets, as well as up
skill them through technology, science-based and data-driven strategies, and business continuity management.

In response, CACCI Director-General Mr. David Hsu expressed the interest in working with ACSB Philippines, adding that CACCI is open all possibilities of cooperation. Taking the opportunity, the CACCI Secretariat also informed ACSB Philippines that there are CACCI Product & Service Councils of different industry sectors which may be of interest to ACSB Philippines to join. In addition, there are CACCI Awards programs for outstanding SMEs, young entrepreneurs, and women entrepreneurs in Asia-Pacific. Should members of ACSB Philippines be interested in joining the they may approach Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) for assistance when the nomination opens, the CACCI Secretariat informed the ACSB Philippine officers.

To sum up, the two sides recognized the success of this meeting and looked forward to more cooperation in the future.

CACCI Profile – April edition available

YEGAP holds first Executive Committee meeting for 2022

The first virtual meeting of the YEGAP Executive Committee (EC) for 2022 was held on April 25, 2022, at 2:00 PM Taipei Time. Chaired by YEGAP Chairman Mr. Mangesh Lal Shrestha, the meeting focused on the plans of each of the six YEGAP committees, as well as upcoming YEGAP activities during the 36th CACCI Conference that will be held in Melbourne in November.

The meeting kicked off with the YEGAP committee chairs outlining their plans for their respective committees and providing updates on what they have done this far. The chairs and their
committees are as follows: Khulan Davaadorj for the Learning and Networking Committee, Jay Thian and Charmaine Leong for the Engagement, Branding & Communication Committee, Michael
Lee for the Membership and Partnership Alliance Committee, Rommel Gerodias for the Strategic Planning, Governance and By-Laws Committee, Rishabh Shroff for the Policy Advocacy Committee, and Richard Lin for the Programs & Events Committee.

The EC then proceeded to discussions on YEGAP Activities during the 36th CACCI Conference, which is scheduled to be held in Melbourne, Australia on November 28-29, 2022.

Among the items discussed were the following:

• YEGAP Breakout Session on Day 1 of the Conference, which will introduce YEGAP and talk about what the group has done so far as well as activities for the future and plans for expansion. It will also include a discussion on “Taking Asia towards an Entrepreneurship-Driven Recovery.”

• Plenary Session 3 on Day 2 of the Conference, which will focus on “Sectoral Strategies for Business Recovery to Ensure Regional Prosperity.” This session will invite speakers who will share
their perspectives on the need for an analysis of different sectors, their potential for future growth, and the support they need to help them and economies in the region get back on track. The Executive Committee may be able to nominate a speaker or speakers to represent YEGAP during this session.

• Oathtaking Ceremony for the YEGAP Executive Committee which will take place during the Gala Dinner on Day 2 of the Conference. It will allow the EC members to affirm their commitment to the duties, responsibilities and obligations associated with their role in YEGAP, and as well give formal recognition to the EC members in front of CACCI leaders, members, and guests.

A networking session to be conducted with CACCI Officers and Council Members is also being considered along with fun social interaction sessions (i.e. wine and dine events), a strategic Executive Committee Meeting to be conducted offsite, site visits, as well as strategic meetings with Australian Government or Australian Young Entrepreneurs groups.

Mangesh presented a timeline of tasks to be completed in preparation for the Conference and next steps for each committee. He proposed that EC meetings be held every 45 days hence, which the committee members all agreed to. The next meeting of the YEGAP Executive Committee Meeting will thus be held in mid-June.

CACCI appoints new Director-General

After years of service to CACCI, Mr. Ernest Lin has announced his intention to retire from his role as Director-General. Effective April 18, 2022, the role will be filled by Mr. Da-wei (David) Hsu.

Mr. Hsu was most recently Director at the Professional Training Center of Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOEA). Over the years, he has served in various official capacities at the MOEA, and had been posted in various countries both in and outside the Asian region. He was the Economic Director at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Jordan from 1992 to 1995; Commercial Director of TECO in Toronto from 2000 to 2008; Economic Counselor of the Taiwan Embassy in Panama from 2002 to 2006; Economic Director at the TECO in India from 2009 to 2013; and Director of the Economic Division at the TECO in Malaysia from 2018 to 2020.

In Taiwan, some of his most notable positions at the MOEA include serving as Director of the International Cooperation Department from 1997 to 1998; as Director of the Small & Medium Enterprises Administration in 2006 to 2008; as Director of the Bureau of Foreign Trade from 2008 to 2009; and as Deputy Director General of the Bureau of Foreign Trade from 2013 to 2018.

CACCI joins NGO Committee on Language and Languages

The Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) joined as one of the 22 inaugural and constituting members of the “NGO Committee on Language and Languages” organized by the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Status with the United Nations (CoNGO), of which CACCI is a member. The formation of the Committee was first proposed in December 2019 under the initiative of Mr. Humphrey Tonkin, President & University Professor of the Humanities, Emeritus, University of Hartford.

According to CoNGO: “Fundamental to the work of the United Nations is the spoken and written word. The United Nations is a place of negotiation and action in which language and communication underlie everything that it does. The UN Secretariat works in two languages; the General Assembly works in six; the various members of the UN family have their own language policies, intended to promote inclusion. Beyond its official languages, the United Nations interacts with the public in a host of other languages. “We need to come together,” Secretary-General Guterres recently declared, “not only to talk but to listen.” Multilingualism is honoured and encouraged in the work of the United Nations.

“Written into many international instruments created or promoted by the United Nations is the principle of non-discrimination on the basis of language. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights stresses access to education, a right to enjoy one’s own culture, a right to a fair trial, and numerous other rights that are dependent on language.

“There is currently no NGO committee that concerns itself with language and language policy, despite the fact that all international NGOs must grapple, to a greater or lesser extent, with language difference. And there are numerous NGOs directly concerned with the teaching of language, with interpretation and translation, and with communication with the public.

“An NGO Committee on Language and Languages could give its attention to UN language policy, to the work of interpreters and translators, to the use of language in the field, and to numerous other aspects of language, among them also the preservation of endangered languages and the promotion of language learning.

“Put in concrete terms, the proposed Committee will cover both language use at the UN (sexist language, the language of hate, the language of peace, human rights language) and the use of languages at the UN (provision of translation and interpretation, documentation, outreach to speakers of other languages, parity among languages, protection and promotion of indigenous languages, etc.).

The founding meeting of the Committee was held virtually on September 9, 2021, mainly to discuss basic matters, including the creation of by-laws and agreement on goals, the establishment of an initial organizing committee, decisions on frequency and topics of meetings, among others. The Committee also agreed to meet regularly for possible briefing sessions on any of the following topics:

1. UN language policies and services (with briefing by UN personnel)
2. Briefings by NGOs on language-relate issues (internal language policies, hiring of multilingual personnel, policy issues relating to languages, protection of language workers, etc.)
3. Language and education (perhaps in cooperation with the NGO Committee on Education)
4. Linguistic justice (language and human rights, non-discrimination on grounds of language, etc.) and programmes of UNESCO related to language (endangered languages, indigenous languages, language in education, etc.)
5. Sign language

The Committee held its inaugural briefing session virtually on December 7, 2021. Focusing on the theme “Multilingualism and the United Nations: Policy, Practice, and Prospects,” the inaugural session served to publicly launch the NGO Committee on Language and Languages by providing an overview of the current state of multilingualism at the United Nations as well as prospects for the future of multilingualism.

CACCI Profile – March edition available

Cambodia Chamber of Commerce President Takes Over ASEAN BAC 2022 Chairmanship

Neak Oknha Kith Meng, President of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce (2nd from left), receives the flag of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN BAC) from Mr. Kelvin Ng Tien Long,  Charg’e d’ Affaires of Brunei Darussalam to Cambodia (left), during the formal ASEAN BAC Chairmanship Handover Ceremony held on January 26, 2022.

Chairman Kith Meng was accompanied by ASEAN BAC members from Cambodia Mr. Sok Piseth (right) and Mr. Van Souieng (2nd from right).

CACCI Secretariat Meets with ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship Indonesia

Executives and staff of the CACCI Secretariat attended the online meeting organized by the ICC Center of Entrepreneurship (CoE) on February 15, providing them an opportunity to meet with the team in charge of the Jakarta hub of CoE. Both sides took the occasion to introduce their respective organizations to each other, and to discuss possible areas of collaboration moving forward, particularly those aimed at promoting the development and growth of SMEs and in fostering the spirit of entrepreneurship in the region, especially among the young people.

The ICC CoE harnesses ICC’s network of national committees and chambers of commerce in over 100 countries to run capacity building programmes, trainings, and community workshops to address the challenges facing entrepreneurs and SMEs. It established its first Asia Pacific hub in Jakarta, Indonesia on October 25, 2021.

CACCI Joins 19th ASEAN-BAC JBCs Meeting

Mr. George Abraham, Chairman of the CACCI SME Development Council (2nd from left, bottom), represented CACCI in the 19th Joint Business Councils’ (JBC) Meeting held online on February 14, 2022 at 09:00 AM, Cambodia Time.

Among others, the meeting was briefed on the Program – under the theme “Addressing Challenges Together” – of Cambodia Chamber of Commerce as this year’s Chairman of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC). Each of the JBC Members was also given the opportunity to report on their ongoing and upcoming activities to support the ASEAN-BAC programs.

For his part, Mr. Abraham informed the meeting of the following activities being undertaken by CACCI: (a) Promotion of the CACCI study on “Achieving a Successful World Trading System”; (b) Review of the future growth strategy of CACCI (c) Survey on Members supply resources; (d) Restructuring and revitalizing of the CACCI Young Entrepreneurs Group; (e) Partnership with the Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce (CNAIC) on the holding of the Business Forum on Regional Integration; (f) Participation inB20 Indonesia 2022 through membership in its Digitalization Task Force; and (g) Preparations for the 36th CACCI Conference. Mr. Abraham also cited possible areas on which CACCI can jointly work with other JBC members.

CACCI Profile – February edition available

We would also appreciate receiving your comments on how we can further improve the CACCI Profile in terms of its format and contents. Thank you for your kind attention, and we look forward to your continued support of the CACCI and its activities.

CACCI Planning Committee Meeting scheduled on March 10

The CACCI Planning Committee Meeting has been scheduled to be conducted virtually on March 10, 2022 at 2:00 PM Taipei/ 5:00 PM Melbourne time.

The meeting will primarily discuss preparations for the 36th CACCI Conference to be hosted by the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) in Melbourne, Australia in November 2022. Discussion will mainly focus on the final Conference dates, Conference venue, theme, topics, speakers, and format, among others.

CACCI will soon be sending out the tentative agenda for the meeting, so that members and officers may begin to confirm their attendance. Additionally, members and officers will be asked to provide suggestions on economic, business or policy issues that are currently of great concern to the membership and business sector of the region as a whole, and thus should be tackled during the 2022 Conference.

Further information on both the Planning Committee meeting in March as well as the CACCI Conference in November 2022 will be sent out once these are available. In the meantime, members are encouraged to block out the relevant date on their schedule. For further information write to cacci@cacci.biz

Winners of the 2021 CACCI Awards Announced

The Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) has recently announced the winners of the 2021 CACCI Awards. The announcement was made during the 94th CACCI Council Meeting held virtually on November 2, 2021.

The following were declared this year’s winners of the following Awards

The 9th CACCI Local Chamber Awards

The winner of the 9th CACCI Local Chamber Award, Big Chamber category, is Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCCI) from Bangladesh. Considered the largest and most vibrant chamber in the country, CCCI has played a vital role in designing the fiscal policy since its establishment in 1906. It works as the bridge between the private and the public sector in designing national policy for export-import, manufacturing, industrialization, infrastructure development, trade, SME sector expansion, and employment generation to eradicate poverty as well as enhance economic development of the country.

Aydin Chamber of Commerce from Turkey was the winner for the Small Chamber category. The Chamber has been conducting studies that contribute to the city’s socio-economic development as well as developing the trade of the province. The Chamber also recognizes that one of the most important elements of trade is specialized fairs, and with this awareness, 197 fairs were organized in the last 5 years by the Chamber. It has also created a resource for the city by receiving grants from the EU and other funds to realise many projects that contributed to the well-being of its members and the province as a whole.

The CACCI Local Chamber Awards seek to recognize local chambers for their achievement in providing services to its members and to the community where its members operate.

The 8th Asia Pacific Young Entrepreneur Award

CACCI presented the 8th Asia Pacific Young Entrepreneur Award to Mrs. Yuna Aleksandrovna Nikishkina, General Director, OOO SputNik from Russia. Mrs. Nikishkina started her business in February 2015. Three years later in March 2018, her original micro-enterprise was transformed into OOO Sputnik, whose main activity has become the production games and toys for children, as well as for the deaf and the blind. Recently, she got an account on Alibaba and entered the international market with her unique products.

The Asia-Pacific Award aims to recognize excellent young entrepreneurs in the Asia-Pacific rim who not only are successful in their business but also advocate corporate social responsibility for the good of their country.

The 3rd Asia Pacific Woman Entrepreneur Award

The 3rd Asia Pacific Woman Entrepreneur Award was won by Ms. Munktuvshin Oyundelger, CEO, Monolab, LLC from Mongolia. Ms. Oyundelger, PhD, Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Science, utilizes her knowledge, network and professionalism to provide necessary equipment to domestic health organizations. Her company Monolab LLC has been supplying high quality, new technology medical equipment from Germany, Korea and other developed countries since 1996. It has become an official distributor of HUMAN Gesellschaft fur Biochemica&Diagnostica mbH, one of the biggest layers in the world in vitro diagnostic device market in Mongolia.

The Asia-Pacific Woman Entrepreneur Award gives recognition to successful businesswomen who are at the same time a strong advocate of corporate social responsibility.

The winners will each receive US$2,000 cash prize and a trophy.

CACCI Profile – January edition available

We would also appreciate receiving your comments on how we can further improve the CACCI Profile in terms of its format and contents. Thank you for your kind attention, and we look forward to your continued support of the CACCI and its activities.

Young Entrepreneurs newsletter available

CACCI is pleased to make available the 21st edition of Young Entrepreneurs Group Asia-Pacific, the newsletter of the Young Entrepreneur Group of Asia-Pacific (YEGAP) under the chairmanship of Mangesh Lal Shrestha from Nepal.

We hope that this edition– and the future ones– will continue to serve as an effective platform for an exchange of information among young entrepreneurs in the region.

If you wish to contribute articles or other materials that can be published in the next newsletter, you may send them through the CACCI Secretariat’s e-mail address at cacci@cacci.biz

Thank you and best regards.

Sincerely yours,

Ernest Lin
Director-General
CACCI

CACCI Signs MOU with AFRADEC

The Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Afro Asia-Pacific Development Council (AFRADEC) outlining principles and general guidelines for increased cooperation between the two organizations.

AFRADEC is composed of companies and institutions from Africa and the Asia-Pacific regions which are engaged in international trade and governance. It is a non-profit economic development platform for multi-lateral trade engagements and cultural linkages between and among businesses and institutions in the economies of Africa and the Asia-Pacific rim. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, AFRADEC has offices and representations in some other locations in Africa, North America and the Asia-Pacific which are strategic in enabling the conduct of its operations and also to enhance greater access by its patrons to opportunities in the emerging markets of the African and Asia-Pacific economies.

President Mr. Samir Modi signed the MOU on behalf of CACCI while Founder and CEO Mr. Charles-Bruno Okpuruka was the signatory on the side of AFRADEC.

One of the provisions of the MOU was the appointment of the incumbent CACCI President and two incumbent CACCI Vice Presidents as members of the AFRADEC Board of Directors, and three members of the CACCI Advisory Board as members of the AFRADEC Advisory Council, subject to their availability.