Event Report: Singapore Policy Forum
Anuar, Amalina; Rogerson, Evan | October 2019
Abstract
The second Singapore Trade Policy Forum, held on 21–22 October 2019, confronted a world where trade wars are no longer a possibility but a damaging reality and where the assault on multilateralism has moved to a new level. As was the case in 2018, the forum brought together around 35 leading trade policy experts from government, academia, and the private sector to analyse the implications of the crisis, and explore solutions. Its tripartite composition encourages the holistic thinking that 21st century policymaking urgently requires.
This year, in addition to considering the immediate threats to the trading system, the forum looked further ahead to issues where progress is critical not only to trade but also to the future of international policy cooperation. These include rulemaking in the digital economy, reform of the WTO, the future of globalisation, and the intersection between trade policy and climate change.
This summary report of a rich discussion underlines the urgency and complexity of the problems. While participants approached these from a range of positions, they all converged on the imperative need to maintain and strengthen the multilateral trading system, and also the important role that regional and plurilateral initiatives can play in this scenario. Leadership from Asia-Pacific economies is more important than ever before. The forum also highlighted the need for policymakers to keep up with the rapid pace of technological development and to deepen the dialogue with business.
Citation
Anuar, Amalina; Rogerson, Evan. 2019. Event Report: Singapore Policy Forum. © S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. http://hdl.handle.net/11540/12185.Keywords
Free Trade
Trade Facilitation
Trade
Economic integration
Regional Economic Integration
Intraregional Trade
Macroeconomic
Macroeconomic Analysis
Macroeconomic Framework
Macroeconomic Models
Macroeconomic Performance
Macroeconomic Planning
Macroeconomic Policies
Macroeconomic Reform
Macroeconomic Stabilization
Tariff
SMEs
Economic criris
Economic planning
Economic structure
Growth policy
Trade relations
Trade policy
Economic development
Economies in transition
International economy
Border integration
Economic integration
Gross domestic product
Trade Regulations
Exchange Rate
Economic zones
Protection
Imports
Exports
Global supply chains
Value chain
Regional economics
Economic forecasting
Economic development projects
Success in business
Business
Free trade
Business
Economics
Communication in economic development
Restraint of trade
International economic integration
Trade blocs
East-West
Exchange rates
Economic Zones
Value chains
Wages and labor productivity
Efficiency wage theory
Income Distribution
Black market
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