MARKET ACCESS TO SME CLUSTERS PROMOTED UNDER THE THREE YEAR NZAP FUNDED PROJECT IN THE CLMV COUNTRIES

Trade and Investment Facilitation

One of the biggest barriers for SMEs in the CLMV in recent years is inadequate capacity and lack of opportunities to network with international and regional investors for market expansion. With the success of the first Investor Forum held in March 2014 and with the support from the New Zealand government , the MI in collaboration with the Sasin Japan center and Intentional Institute for Trade and Development (ITD) organized the Second Buyer – Seller Meeting (SME export consortia groups and prospective business partners) on 27th November 2014 in Bangkok. The forum is part of the three year project on “Capacity Development of Integrating CLMV economies into AEC; funded by New Zealand Aid Program (NZAP). 

The business meeting was attended by 80 participants comprising of 16 SME clusters from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV), and 43 prospective buyers / traders from Thailand, Japan, China and Korea including some retailer and wholesaler giants including Big C Center, Siam Makro, Mega Home, CP Group, Saha Group, CJ Corporation and others. The one-day buyer- seller meeting aimed to provide a platform for business matching and business networking, for 16 SME clusters promoted by the MI with support from the NAZP during the period of 2012 – 2014. 

The meeting was structured into two parts: (1) cluster presentation to introduce the cluster , product profiles, manufacturing processes and marketing strategies, providing vivid images to the potential buyers and traders and laying the foundation for the next B2B; (2) business matching session to seek business partnership for integrating into regional and global value chain, technology exchanges and partnership agreement via product showcase and face-to-face interactions. 

After the completion of the event, most of the SME groups were able to conclude initial business collaboration arrangements with the buyers. Through such discussions, some clusters have also acknowledged the importance of improving their capacity and strengthening networking to enhance their competiveness to meet the challenges of the upcoming 2015 AEC formation.

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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.