INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR: STANDARDS & STANDARDIZATION- LINKAGES TO REGIONAL INTEGRATION & TRADE PROMOTION

Trade and Investment Facilitation

International standards, which aim to be used as a trade facilitating factor by many countries, often become a form of non-tariff barriers for exports from developing countries trying to enter the global and regional markets. Therefore, rigorous and consistent local standardization processes with active involvement of private and public sectors is crucial for building necessary technical capacity on the concepts and methodologies of different international standards. 

Furthermore, standards and standardization also play a crucial role in regional integration process. ASEAN, in its Blueprint towards building an Economic Community in 2015, which recognized that “systems of standards, quality assurance, accreditation, and measurement are crucial for enhancing the efficiency and cost effectiveness of production of intra-regional imports/exports.” This is essential to ensure the free flow of goods and services across borders in the region by turning all 10 member states of ASEAN into a single market and production base. These 10 members include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. 

In the light of this event, representatives from Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CCIs) and some export-oriented enterprises gathered in an ASEAN two-day seminar on December 17-18, 2013, in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The seminar was organized by CUTS International – Hanoi Resource Centre (HRC) in collaboration with Mekong Institute and Swedish Standards Institute (SIS), Stockholm, Sweden. 

It aimed to raise awareness and understanding on significance of standards and the standardization processes as well as their possible impacts on regional integration and trade promotion. The participants and institutions were informed about the facilitation of future trade within and beyond ASEAN through a network of stakeholders on the issues of standards and standardization. The meeting also provided feedbacks on national, sub-regional, regional and international institutions for more inclusive and effective standardization process at all levels. There were 40 attendants, including representatives from National Standard Bureaus, Ministries of Commerce and Industry and Chamber of commerce and Industry from Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia.

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Mrs. Guohua Liu

Director, Sustainable Energy & Environment (SEE) Department

Mrs. Liu Guohua is the Director of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Department at the Mekong Institute. Prior to this role, she worked in the Department of International Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, where she played a key role in shaping and implementing China’s cooperation strategies with UN development agencies. During this time, Mrs. Liu was actively involved in advancing initiatives related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on climate change and green development. Additionally, she contributed to the evaluation of projects funded by various Chinese initiatives, such as the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund, etc.

In addition to her work in the Department of International Economic Affairs, Mrs. Liu has an extensive diplomatic background. She spent 7 years in the Department of African Affairs, followed by a 4-year tenure at the Chinese Embassy in Lao PDR, where she gained deep expertise in both Southeast Asian and African affairs. These diverse experiences have played a crucial role in shaping her approach to sustainable development and international collaboration, particularly in building regional partnerships and tackling global challenges like climate change.

She holds a Master’s degree in Economics, with a specialization in Finance, from the Central University of Finance and Economics, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, specializing in International Economics and Trade, from the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics.