WA and ASEAN have been similarly successful in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic and are, for the most part, now maintaining very low numbers. As WA and ASEAN make their way through COVID-19 and beyond, opportunities exist for the two to work together more closely.
This session will explore the supply chain gaps which have been brought to light during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the key sectors that will help to strengthen this collaboration.
Pairing WA’s world-class resource assets with Southeast Asia’s burgeoning demand for primary products presents a breadth of opportunities to grow economic partnerships between the two regions. The gaps in ASEAN’s resource supply can potentially be met by Western Australia’s exports. Leveraging these opportunities, however, will require improvements to transportation and infrastructure for both regions.
This workshop will provide critical insight into the future WA-ASEAN relationship for anyone from primary producers and those working in agriculture to those working in logistics.
Energy and resources are two of Western Australia’s major bargaining chips in the international landscape and could help to strengthen the future connection between WA and ASEAN. Western Australia’s large reserves of iron ore and LNG supplies are highly sought after already, and its emerging industries of rare earths, lithium and cobalt are increasingly so as well.
This session will explore the impacts of COVID-19 on the resources industry, the opportunities that renewables afford, and what WA and ASEAN can do within this industry to recover economically.
Unlocking new investment opportunities is essential to Western Australia and ASEAN’s successful economic recoveries from the impacts of COVID-19. Significant benefit lies in reciprocal investment between the two regions, and this event will explore how to ensure the relationship remains mutually beneficial.
Key to this relationship is the existence of free trade agreements, and panellists will discuss both the successes and challenges of current agreements, as well as the opportunities that lie ahead.
At the heart of Western Australia’s priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic has been the safety and security of its community. But as the state, and the country, work to achieve and maintain low numbers of new cases, now is the moment to cast our gaze outward and reconnect with our nearest neighbours. ASEAN represents a strong potential partner for WA and reconnecting will only help to expedite the state’s economic recovery.
Our final event of the 2020 WA-ASEAN Dialogue will highlight where WA’s priorities should lie in this space, and how businesses can make themselves more competitive today, ready for when the borders reopen.