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The two-day Economic Freedom Network (EFN) Asia
conference has tackled many subjects on its first day, October 21, 2013. The
welcome remarks were given by Dr. Pirom Kamolratanakul, President of
Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, and Mr. Ulrich Niemann, Director of
the Division of International Politics, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for
Freedom (FNF).
Dr. Niemann emphasized the importance of Asia and
economic freedom in the world, but developing Asia still has a long way to go
to expand economic freedom. Some countries are trapped from becoming advanced
and high income countries. Certain vested interests challenge and stall further
economic reform. Political reform is also needed and ideas of classical
liberalism have to be reintroduced.
Two keynote addresses were also given, first by Mr.
Geronimo Sy, Assistant Secretary of the Philippines Department of Justice (DOJ,
and Deputy Governor of the Myanmar Central Bank, Mr. Set Aung.
Mr. Sy stressed that with rising modernity in technology,
communications should be geared towards shared value. Integrity in government
is needed, based on honesty of both individuals and institutions. Good
governance can build middle class, aided by economic freedom and simple,
transparent rules. The Philippines has a big population that also has a big
diaspora. Its middle class can go up or down the economic ladder and they are concerned
with regulations and attaining economic freedom, while the poor are less
concerned about these. Different countries have different contexts and
the middle income trap is defined by those contexts.
Mr. Aung asked how far do we Asians want to go, fast like
a big bang, or how gradual. The ASEAN Economic Community that will materialize
by 2015 looks ambitious. AFTA is sometimes called Agree First, Talk After,
especially by the ASEAN 6 – Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore
and Thailand. Do we plan to take the EU path, which is a long and evolving
process? We may be excited but not ready for it, especially Myanmar which is a
late comer. With all the economic optimism in the region, there is a need for
strong political will to push certain programs and reforms.
After the two keynote speeches, a speed dating was held
for all participants where they talked one on one for two minutes, introducing
themselves, why they attend the conference and so on. The format was very
useful as it provided an excellent opportunity for networking.
Panel 1 of the conference was defining the term “middle
income trap”, the myth and realities about the concept. The two speakers were
Dr. Laveesh Bhandari, Director of Indicus Analytics Pty. Ltd. India, and Dr.
Fred McMahon, Fellow and holder of the Dr. Michael Walker Research Chair in
Economic Freedom, Fraser Institute, Canada.
Dr. Bhandari emphasized that jargons on economics and
governance must not be confused with reality on the ground and demands
for practical considerations, so that levels of economic development and
economic freedom can produce the needed outcomes.
Dr. McMahon showed various indicators that contribute to
high income of some countries, and concluded that economic freedom or the lack
of it explains a great deal of middle income trap if not everything about it.
Rule of law complements economic freedom.
Over lunch, Dr. Kriengsak Chareonwongsak, President of
the Institute of Future Studies for Development, made a presentation on
“Thailand’s Titles Projects from the Perspective of Economic Freedom.” He
underlined the important role of property rights protection as the cornerstone
of capitalism and economic freedom. He showed charts indicating that many
private lands are not properly titled and such ambiguity in ownership prevents
the owners, the poor especially, from developing those lands to high
productivity use and hence, contributes to poverty.
The panel 2 discussion was about surveying the trend of
middle income trap. The two speakers were Dr. Bibek Debroy, Professor at the
Center for Policy Research in India, and Dr. Suthiphand Chirathivat, Chairman
of the Chula Global Network in Thailand. The panel moderator was Dr. Chayodom
Sabhasri, Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Chulalongkorn University.
Dr. Chirathivat underlined that connectivity is good for
economic integration and as international pressure for national governments to
integrate with, and learn from, each other, how to avoid middle income trap.
Countries cannot rely on cheap labor as pathway to high growth. The average per
capita GDP in ASEAN is projected to rise five percent a year from 2010 to 2030,
there is a need to move to high skills industries. .
The panel 3 discussion had a particular focus on four
countries from four speakers. It was moderated by Dr. Kim Chung ho, Professor
at Yonsei University and also founder of a new think tank in S. Korea, the
Freedom Factory Ltd.
Assistant Secretary of Philippines DOJ, Geronimo Sy, gave
special mention of having a competition policy in each country to enforce rules
equally among players, and avoid “regulatory capture” by some regulated
players.
Dr. Choi Byung-il, President of the Korea Economic
Research Institute (KERI) said that populism is a zero-sum game of distributive
politics, rent seeking activities can become rampant, if politics will trump
over economics. Economic freedom and prosperity are highly correlated. In the
case of S. Korea, growth was fast until the 80s. By 1987 onwards, public demand
for more social equity, more labor rights and other entitlements has increased.
The weakening global orientation plus rising populism resulted in more
inward-looking attitude and protectionism among the people.
Dr. Deunden Nikomborirak, Research Director of Thailand
Development Research Institute (TDRI) presented a paper on “Middle income trap
and the Thai service sector”. Thai sectors are dominated by large conglomerates
and reform in services sector is required as 44 percent of the labor force is
working in this sector. Labor productivity is stagnant, just half of
productivity in manufacturing. FDI in ASEAN flows mainly into the service
sector but in Thailand, FDI goes mainly to manufacturing, and Singapore is
ASEAN “FDI gate keeper” as it is the most liberal, most economically free
country in the region. With the ASEAN Economic Community coming soon, Thailand
will get “second hand” FDI after Singapore.
Dr. Harsha De Silva, Member of Parliament of Sri Lanka,
agonized that prosperity in his country remains an illusion, that it is facing
not only a middle income trap but also debt trap. Government investment
priorities are questionable and the public sector, civilian and military, keeps
expanding, into more commercial businesses.
Another speed dating was held among all the participants
including speakers. This time, the focus was on participants’ reflections of
the various presentations in panels 2 and 3.
See also:
EFN Asia 26: Past Conferences and Avoiding the Middle Income Trap, August 03, 2013
EFN Asia 27: Escaping Middle Income Trap via Economic Freedom, October 08, 2013
Business 360 11: Avoiding Middle Income Trap, September 19, 2013
EFN Asia 28: Program of the 2013 Conference in Bangkok, October 17, 2013
EFN Asia 29: Speakers in Day 1, Conference 2013 in Bangkok, October 21, 2013
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