China and India have grabbed so many of the headlines in recent years that it's been easy to overlook the huge potential for growth in the ASEAN countries and the continued significance of Japan and Korea - but no more. Foreign direct investment is up sharply, especially in the six key economies of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. South Korea and Japan each made news over the past year, but for entirely different reasons. South Korea's recent signing of a free trade agreement with the U.S. could be a model for other countries in the region, while Japan's export-driven economy slipped to a trade deficit for the first time in decades. As Southeast Asia continues to integrate its markets and remove trade barriers, can ASEAN avoid the pitfalls that eventually caused a crisis in the euro zone and the structural issues facing Japan? Will any of these countries evolve to become one of Asia's true economic pillars? Can they withstand a slowdown in China, as well as reduced demand from Europe and the U.S.?
Global Conference 2013
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair, philanthropist Bill Gates and Strive Masiyiwa of Econet Wireless discuss advancing prosperity in Africa.
