News

Carmen Lazo and her travels throughout the Asia-Pacific

Carmen Lazo (Socialist Party) will be always remembered for her historic role in the Chilean Congress during the 1960s and 1970s. She will also be remembered for her pioneering trips to the Asia-Pacific when most Chileans were less than fully aware of the countries and cultures in this region of the world. We invite you to view this truly unique video which captures her personal description of her trip to China and Vietnam. She was, in fact, the only Chilean legislator to visit the front lines during the Vietnam War. This interview is part of the Library of Congress' Political Memory Project.

Asia-Pacific Project shared with rest of South America

The Asia-Pacific Project’s seminar for government officials from Argentina, Peru and Bolivia is a prime example of the Library of Congress’ two-fold mission: to provide services to the legislature as well as the general public.

Senator Frei participates in Asia-Pacific analysis

On Friday, July 20, 2007, the first Analysis Roundtable on China’s economic policy was held with, Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, President of the Senate, in attendance.

Members of Congress on technology tour of Japan

A group of four lawmakers will be on an official visit to Japan from January 27 to February 2, 2008. They plan to principally visit several technology centers, but their itinerary does not exclude important cultural sites.

Representative Isabel Allende’s longstanding friendship with Japan

Representative Isabel Allende (PS) stated that her main purpose in traveling to Japan was to further improve the ties between the two nations. She shared her comments on this topic at a roundtable on current Japanese issues, which was organized by the Library of Congress.

Australian Scholarships: Applications now being accepted, seminars in regions

The application process for postgraduate study scholarships in Australia and New Zealand has begun. We will be covering some of the main steps in this process and the list of orientation seminars to be held outside Santiago.

Indian Parliamentary delegation visits chile

Yesterday, Indian parliamentarians discussed birth control, energy policy and educational standards. The discussion was held yesterday at Palacio Ariztía.

Chilean senators protest Japanese stance at whaling commission

Senators Baldo Prokurica, Andrés Allamand and Guido Girardi, together with environmental groups, signed a letter to the President requesting she declare Chile’s territorial waters to be an official whale sanctuary.

One year after the signing of the Chile-India partial scope agreement

Last week was the anniversary of the signing of Chile and India’s Partial Scope Agreement. On August 17, 2007, the tariffs between the countries were lowered, but a full-fledged FTA is yet to be signed due to Indian reluctance.

Adolfo Zaldívar: Chile and Peru should have a joint export strategy in Asia

President of the Senate, Adolfo Zaldívar, met with President Alan García in Lima to discuss bilateral issues. Asia-Pacific issues involving Chile and Peru were prominent.

India celebrates 61 years of independence

India celebrates 61 years of independence on August 15, 2008. The nation will commemorate how, after 350 years of British colonialism, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru led it to freedom.

President of the Senate confirms upcoming Peruvian delegation’s visit to Chile

Adolfo Zaldívar gave the Asia-Pacific Portal all the details on his latest trip to Peru, where he met with President of the Senate Javier Velásquez Quesquén and President Alan García. The senator also announced the upcoming visit of his Peruvian counterpart and mentioned the importance of joining forces with the neighboring country to address the challenges of the Asia-Pacific markets.

President of the Congress of Peru: “Chile and Peru cannot show up divorced to APEC”

In his recent address to the Chilean Senate, the President of the Congress of Peru, Javier Velásquez Quesquén, confirmed the will of Peru’s congress to sign a bilateral agreement aimed at building a joint Chile-Peru agenda on various issues. He noted that it should especially address what he characterized as "the Asia-Pacific challenge."

Zaldívar and Velásquez: Peru-Chile ties improved by Congressional delegations

The president of the Chilean senate, Adolfo Zaldívar, and president of the Peruvian congress, Javier Velásquez, both shared their impressions of the outcomes of recent congressional delegation visits to their legislative counterparts in Peru and Chile, respectively.

Santiago hosts Arco Pacífico Latinoamericano forum

Santiago hosted the international forum known as Arco Pacífico Latinoamericano (APL) from October 1-3, 2008. The organization represents those Latin America countries which comprise the eastern rim of the Pacific. Thus, the Arco Pacífico Latinoamericano, or Latin American-Pacific Arch, is a Pacific Rim initiative for Latin America.

APEC Peru 2008: Main issues for Leaders Meeting

Lima, capital of Peru, will host the XVI APEC Leaders Week during November 17-23, 2008. The meeting will address the global credit crisis and the challenges facing in the group of economies which represent 51% of international trade.

Deputy Foreign Minister states Peru has strengthened APEC organizational structure

A little over a month from now Peru will host the 16th APEC Summit. The Library of Congress’ Asia-Pacific Portal spoke to Secretary-General (Deputy Minister) for Foreign Affairs of Peru, Gonzalo Gutierrez Reinel on this meeting and other topics.

APEC 2008: Agreement in the works to facilitate technology imports

APEC’s 38th Meeting of the Telecommunications and Information Working Group (TEL-WG) addressed streamlining legal procedures related to the technology imports between APEC economies. It also discussed lowering the costs of these products as part of its work on behalf of APEC’s Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) for Conformity Assessment of Telecommunications Equipment.

What ever happened to the Community of Andean Nations-APEC initiative?

In October 2004, an initiative to boost the Andean Community of Nations’ (CAN) presence in the Asia-Pacific was launched. The only country who happens to be a member in both organizations, Peru, also happens to be hosting this year’s APEC meeting. What ever happened to the aforementioned joint initiative which, incidentally, was never mentioned after a 2004 visit by APEC leadership to Lima?

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Latin American Studies at the University of Maryland

The opportunities to specialize abroad are growing not only due to the number of countries offering funding, but also because of an increased variety of disciplines to study. The University of Maryland, one of the most prestigious in the United States, has begun to accept applications to its post doctorate in Latin American Studies program.

Chile offers Spain export partnership for Asia

Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, Alberto Van Klaveren, offered Spain the opportunity “to concretize strategic alliances between (our two nations’) firms” in order to facilitate exports to Asia, and thereby capitalize on Chile’s diverse portfolio of FTAs, which includes South Korea, India and China.

What will Chile get out of APEC Peru 2008?

According to the opinion of three experts in the field, Chile is expected to increase its economic potential in the region, become an active voice in the containment of the international financial crisis and attract the world’s geopolitical gaze to the Pacific basin as a result of APEC 2008 in Peru.

Structural reform at APEC

It is not very well known, but APEC is a real challenge for the field of international relations. After all, it is a unique experiment in that it is trying to establish an economic block from a wide variety of nations. And since much remains to be resolved in terms of economic integration, this year APEC held a special ministerial summit, in which it agreed to embark on a path to reform.

APEC progress since Chile 2004

Four years ago, then-President Ricardo Lagos took this picture that circled the globe. The snapshot shows him alongside 21 leaders of APEC economies, who came to Santiago for the Forum’s 12th session. In the coming weeks, a similar photo op will occur in Lima. The question that arises is how much progress has been made vis-à-vis the Chile 2004 Forum’s commitments?

APEC’s outstanding issues

The APEC Leaders Summit, scheduled next week in Lima, is the main event of all the meetings that have taken place this year between the member economies. A number of agreements are expected to be produced, but many may be destined to the paper they are written on or just forgotten, as in the past. This Portal asked some experts for their opinions of what they believe are the outstanding issues in this forum; that is, those issues which remain to be resolved.

APEC Peru 2008: A veritable fiesta for small and medium-sized enterprises

(David Azócar from Lima) APEC is more than a mere Leaders Meeting where the major political patriarchs of the 21 economies of the bloc meet to agree on free trade strategy. SMEs have also found in APEC a forum in which to interact. Proof positive of this is the more than 800 small and medium-scale entrepreneurs who met to share experiences and strategize in a trade area where the financial crisis has been slow in coming.

Peruvian path to creating an FTA network

During the APEC Leaders Meeting, to be held in Peru this weekend, Peru is sure to sign its FTA with China. It should also witness the enactment of its FTA with the United States in January. Thus, Peru is creating a network of FTAs predominantly oriented to the Pacific.

APEC Peru 2008: “The financial crisis is a great opportunity to turn the Asia-Pacific into a free trade zone”

(David Azócar from Lima) Within a few days Peru APEC 2008 will witness major trade agreements and FTAs between the bloc’s member economies, but the idea of intensifying economic flow goes far beyond these events. The Asia-Pacific Portal obtained an exclusive interview with Elizabeth Chelliah, who is currently in charge of the effort to make APEC the largest tax-free zone in the Pacific. Ms Chelliah heads the APEC initiative in her capacity as Chair of the Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI).

APEC Peru 2008: “Peru will become the real bridge between Asia and South America”

(David Azócar from Lima) This is how the host of APEC 2008 , President Alan Garcia, opened the 4th meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) in his home nation of Peru. His comments were made regarding Peru's potential within APEC and other issues in the region during the 16th session of the Asia-Pacific economic forum.

APEC 2008: Foreign Minister Foxley announces P7

(David Azócar from Lima) Chile’s foreign minister, Alejandro Foxley, announced that negotiations will begin to include Peru, the United States and Australia in the P4 as of March 2009. The old P4, therefore, will now be known as the P7. Minister Foxley’s announcement came at APEC Peru’s 2008 Closing Ceremony of the 20th Summit of Ministers. The Chile Asia-Pacific portal therefore spoke with the minister and Carlos Furche, General Director of Chile’s DIRECON, regarding recent changes in the trans-Pacific partnership (TPP), formerly known as P4.

APEC Peru 2008: "Nations should resort to Keynesian measures and increased capital flows during crisis"

(David Azócar from Lima) A day after Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley’s P7 announcement, the Asia-Pacific portal spoke to Hernán Somerville, President of the Chilean Association of Banks and Financial Associations, regarding his impressions on the announcement. Chile’s representative to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), spoke about the decision to invite the US, Australia and Peru into the P7 (formerly P4).

Universidad de Chile analyzes Chile-Korea FTA

“The mission is still incomplete.” This was the verdict of Kim Won-ho, a Korean professor who specializes in Latin America, on the FTA between Chile and Korea. He made his comments during a seminar organized by the Institute of International Studies at Universidad de Chile. The seminar addressed the core indicators of Chile’s first free trade agreement with an Asian country.

Fourth anniversary of the Chile-Korea FTA: Backroom issues

The Chile-Korea FTA has caused a lot of talk, especially given the 30% boost in trade this year. However, the entire spectrum of issues is quite large. So, with meeting minutes in hand, we set out to analyze the findings of the Free Trade Commission. The bilateral monitoring commission, which recently held its fifth session in Santiago, assessed the FTA’s past four years. The commission also established guidelines for 2009.

Legislators focus on Asia-Pacific

During 2009, Chile will attempt to capitalize upon its solid political and commercial relations with India, China and Singapore in order to boost the national economy via its "Plan Asia". As such, the Portal interviewed three members of Congress who have specialized in Asian affairs over the years. They delineated the major issues on which Chile should focus its attention in the Asia-Pacific.

Universidad Católica (PUC-Chile) Asian Studies fellowship

Selection criteria for PUC’s teaching fellowship in Asian Studies include having completed doctoral studies in history, geography or political science, and a clear professional profile as a researcher.

ProChile's strategy for Asia

Although mineral resources, and especially copper, are Chile’s main products being exported Asia Pacific, the so-called non-traditional exports are also beginning to gain market share. This is precisely where ProChile, in its capacity as the Office of Export Promotion, is working with national companies to position themselves in the region’s markets.

12 events that marked 2008

2008 was a busy year for the Asia-Pacific: an earthquake with tragic consequences, attacks, the outbreak of a new economic crisis and various multilateral events marked the year, which we will review through twelve milestones that occurred during the year that ends today.

Asia-Pacific economic outlook for 2009 (Part 1)

Given expectations of a sharp US downturn in 2009, the rest of the world awaits the impact of the economic crisis with a substantial degree of uncertainty. The Central Bank of Chile, in fact, has lowered its growth forecast to below the previously predicted 2%. Asia-Pacific nations are also reducing forecasts, which, in turn, decrease domestic demand; a negative spiral that may ultimately affect the pockets of Chileans, too.

Asia-Pacific economic outlook for 2009 (Part 2)

The economic crisis currently has the world holding its collective breath. Many countries have already entered into recession and others watch fearfully as their growth forecasts fall. This is the case of Chile, which has witnessed its main trade partners reduce their purchases of Chilean imports. The Asian countries are no exception; especially the three giants of the region: Japan, China and India.

Asia-Pacific economic outlook for 2009 (Part 3)

Exports from Asia’s principal economies have dropped due to the financial crisis. While China and India aim at strengthening domestic demand, Japan is putting a brake on its investment plans in order to overcome the current difficulties. Latin America, for its part, will suffer a different fate, given its dependence on the sectors and the region where the majority of its foreign trade is destined.

Doing business in Asia

Asia is the main destination for Chilean exports. It also is the only region in the world expected to experience growth next year, according to most reports. As such, Chile’s business sector will definitely be focused on the region. Before doing business in this market, said sector should be clear about certain aspects of negotiation. This article endeavors to illuminate the subject.

Doing business in China and Korea

When doing business in other countries, it is critical to learn as much as possible about the region’s culture, negotiation styles and potential markets. In Asia, a firm’s mastery of these elements is essential to success. If your business targets the Pacific, be sure to read these tips dealing with executives in China and Korea.

Doing business in Japan and Thailand

Negotiation is an art in Asia. Patience is a virtue here and must be taken into account at all times. Many executives and entrepreneurs have neglected this aspect when entering these demanding markets. We have some recipes for doing business in Japan and Thailand that may come in useful to such people.

Australia and New Zealand confront global financial crisis

Exports from these two leading Asia-Pacific nations have declined due to the global economic crisis. New Zealand was especially hard hit last year and declared itself to be in recession. Australia, for its part, saw practically no growth. Unlike their Asian counterparts, these two nations’ economic problems may not have any significant impact on Chile's economy.

Benefits of the China-Chile FTA

In 2006, Chile signed its free trade agreement with China. The FTA was Chile’s first with an Asian economy. Since then, Chilean exports to China have doubled, making China Chile’s largest trading partner. Despite this not all sectors have taken advantage of the FTA’s opportunities. As such, the Asia-Pacific portal provides this brief guide to FTA and the business opportunities it represents.

Lap Kei Chang: Advising Chilean firms in China

“I miss China when I’m away. I really love its air of progress. In China, it seems you can achieve anything you wish,” says Lap Kei Chang. Chang, who advises Chilean firms in China, is the son of a Chinese father and Chilean mother. He decided to travel to China because he was attracted by its vast number of business opportunities. Later, Chang founded an advising firm, Mine Designe, which advises foreign companies wishing to trade in China. These days, the pioneering firm is a leader in the field. It works closely with the Chile-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry, but it is founder Kei Chang who tells us the story from the lone entrepreneur’s point of view.