IE Singapore gives pointers on tapping an integrated Asean market

SINGAPORE companies should focus on Asean economies such as Thailand and Indonesia that are most ready to gain from integration, and zoom in on sectors that tap the region's manufacturing and consumer strengths, says International Enterprise (IE) Singapore.

But it also cautioned that local firms should take a long-term view and weigh political and regulatory risks against the positive spinoffs from Asean Economic Community (AEC) integration efforts, before investing in Singapore's South-east Asia neighbours.

In a publication discussing AEC 2015 and how businesses here might benefit, IE Singapore noted the uneven success of efforts to turn diverse Asean into a single market and production base so far. AEC 2015 "should not be viewed as a deadline, but an ongoing process", it said.