China opportunity, not threat to East Asia: WB official
( 2002-10-10 09:23 ) (8 )

China is no threat to the East Asia, but an opportunity, Jemal-ud-din Kassum, World Bank vice-president for East Asia and Pacific, said Wednesday at the launch of a World Bank book "Can East Asia Compete?" in Singapore.

China presents a huge opportunity for the rest of East Asia, only if the region's economies push ahead with crucial economic and financial reforms, he noted.

Jemal-ud-din Kassum affirmed, "Our feeling is that China represents an opportunity because the challenge is to complement China, not necessarily to compete head on."

He added, "the opportunities lie in cross-border supply chains and regional production networks."

"China itself is in the process of transition. China itself, tomeet the WTO challenge, still has to undergo significant structural reforms in state enterprises and in the banking sector," he added.

East Asia must sharpen its capacity to innovate and make full use of information and communication technology (ICT) to remain competitive in a liberalized global market.

An innovative spirit must be grounded on strong institutions, better macro-economic policies and a move for closer regional economic integration.