By Sherilyn Pang
SHAH ALAM, Dec 16 — Digitalising the global supply chain (GSC) will build its resilience against external shocks posed by political unpredictability, said Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia Hiroshi Oka yesterday.
Speaking during the virtual Selangor Asean Business Conference 2020 alongside panellists that included the Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia Andrew John Lech Goledzinowski and Singaporean High Commissioner to Malaysia Vanu Gopala Menon, Oka said the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the US-China trade war which started in 2018, had posed great challenges to the global trade and commercial systems.
“The lessons we are learning out of the Covid-19 pandemic is firstly about the need to make the (global) supply chain (GSC) resistant to external shocks.
“Secondly, is the acceleration of the introduction and adoption of digital technologies so that it (GSC) will not be affected by the political landscape which is going to be played out,” he said referring to the US-China trade war.
Oka said Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) had agreed to work together during the recent Asean Business Summit to ensure the region’s supply chain is resilient against outward impacts.
“This is a good opportunity for us to transform our operating systems, economies and societies for a better future and we (Japan) are expecting the return of positive growth next year and this is going to be a good thing for Japan and the state of Selangor,” Oka said.
“Asean is where consumption, production and new business ideas are currently taking place so we want to facilitate that interaction between Japan and Asean and of course, our hearts are with the Japan-Malaysia cooperation for as long as we are in the country,” he added.
The fourth session of the virtual Selangor Asean Business Conference 2020 webinar series themed ‘Asean’s Growing Economies: Maintaining Regional Prosperity Amidst Crises’ was moderated by Selangor Investment, Industry and Commerce and Small and Medium Enterprise Committee chairman Dato’ Teng Chang Khim, yesterday.
The session discussed the current Covid-19 pandemic situation and plans for collaboration between Selangor with Japan, Australia and Singapore.
