With leaders from all over Asia gathered together to talk about the future of the Asian economy, the Asia Economic Community Forum 2010 (http://www.aecforum.net) was held from the 7th to 9th of November at Songdo ConvensiA, Incheon.
"It was a great success in stimulating intellectual interactions, arousing new ideas and also recasting old views." Chairman Kim Hak-Su stated recalling last year's forum. "Now we face a different set of economic landscapes this year... the Global Economic Prospects of 2010 (GEP2010), released by the World Bank, warns that while the worst of the financial crisis may be over, global recovery is fragile. It predicts that the fallout from the crisis will change the landscape for finance and growth over the next 10 years".
Chairman Kim continued that this year they were mindful of the G20 conference that was held just two days after AECF 2010, and that they encouraged a "transition from crisis response to stronger, more sustainable and balanced growth" into the "3-pillars" of AECF which is "Grand Debate II on 21st Century Capitalism", "Grand Compromise II among USA, China and the EU" and the "Grand Dialogue II between Asia and the West".
The break-out session on Sunday, November 7th consisting of 3 sub-sessions; the economic sessions, political sessions and cultural sessions. The economic sessions were the most numerous with eight subjects being discussed. The Northeast Asia Economic Association of Korea led the break-out sessions on four subjects "Creating Asia Community", "Macroeconomic Policy in China", "Cooperation and Future Theme in Northeast Asia" and "The Korean Peninsula and China" each with moderators, speakers and panelists who are renowned professors of universities from all across Asia.
The politics session in the afternoon was headed by the Korean Association of International Studies. "Grand Compromise toward the East Asian Community" and "Grand Compromise on the Agenda of EAC" were the two subjects of the talks. Again, professors of universities from all over Asia participated.
The second economics session followed, with the Korean Urban Geographical Society and the Economic Geographical Society of Korea organizing two talks on "Job Creation and Urban Competitiveness", "Global City Network and Urban Competitiveness". A graduate student paper presentation session was also organized.
HK Research Center for Chinese Practices and the University of Incheon organized the culture session on the subject of "Studies in Chinese Standards and Practices". Professors from China and Korea were present to participate as speakers and panel.
The last session of Day 1 was an economic session on "Asian Responses to the Global Financial Crisis: Experiences and Comparison" and was organized by the Korea Association for Comparative Economics and the Economic Geographical Society of Korea.
Day 2 saw the forum set full speed ahead with three plenary sessions, a break-out session, UN APCICT and Model Asia Union meetings. Plenary session one started with an opening remark by the Chairman of AECF Kim Hak-su, and an opening remark from the Mayor of Incheon, Song Young-gil. The congratulatory speech was given by Park Jin, Member of Congress and Immanuel Wallerstein, Professor at Yale University.
The forum continued with another session organized by the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy and keynote speaker Amartya Sen, Professor at Harverd University. USA, presenting on the "Grand Debate of 21st century Capitalism: In Search of Alternatives to Washington Consensus".
A break-out session was also held with Asia Values Survey Research Team organizing a talk on "Asia Values Survey for Creating One Asia Together: Perceptions of College Students in China, Japan and Korea", UNESCAP Sub-regional Office for East and North-East Asia hosting talks on "A new development paradigm in North-East Asia: Green Economy, and talks on "CSR Korea and Asia" were organized by Herald Media.
The UN-APCICT organized "Turning Today's Youth into Tomorrow's ICTD Leaders" participated by many distinguished international guests. Plenary session 2 and 3 was organized by the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy and treated subjects such as "Asia's Response and Tasks for Recovery From the Financial Crisis" and "Post Crisis new World Order: Asia and G20". Finally, the model Asia union was organized by the Asia Economic Community Foundation and the Incheon Metropolitan City, Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority. The talks were on "Asia's Integration".
The last day of the forum kicked off with plenary session 4 "Grand Compromise " Among US, China and the EU: Resolving the Hegemony Crisis by G2 or G20" organized by The Korean Association of International Studies. UN-APCICT continued their talks from yesterday, "Turning Today's Youth into Tomorrow's ICTD Leaders".
3 special break-out sessions continued, with the One Asia Club organizing the "Start One Asia" talks. The Incheon Development Institute and Asia Journalist Association organized talks on "Network of Competition & Cooperation Among Asia Megacity Regions" and "Asian Journalist's Perspective on G20 Seoul Summit 2010" respectively.
An economic session and political session followed with "Background and Conditions for Regional Integration: Asia and Europe Compared-The Model of Integration-How to reformulate the European model into East Asia", and "Asia regional integration road map" talks and were organized by Northeast Asia Intellectuals' Solidarity Korea.
The last plenary session, the "Grand Dialogue", was held on the subject "Grand Dialogue between Asia and the West", with guest speakers including Choi Won-sik, Professor of Inha University and Bernard Senecal, Professor at Sogang University.
All talks and meetings wrapped up on Day 3 with the announcement of the Asian Regional Integration Index with Kim Won-ho, Professor of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. The wrap up session followed, with Kim Hak-soo, Chair of AECF at the podium to bring things to a close. There was also an announcement of the Regional Integration Road Map & Declaration of Incheon by Park Je-hoon, Secretary-General of AECF.
