Conference on Global Financial Crisis: Regional Cooperation and Architecture Policy Issues
Agenda

Registration

Welcome Remarks - Masahiro Kawai, Dean, ADBI

Overview of the conference
Chalongphob Sussangkarn, Lead Consultant, Distinguished Fellow, TDRI, Thailand

Session I: The Need for an Overall "Asia Financial Stability Dialogue"

Chairperson: Takatoshi Ito, University of Tokyo

Paper 1: The Need for an Overall "Asia Financial Stability Dialogue"
This paper focuses on the desirability of creating an "Asian Financial Stability Dialogue" (ASFD) analogous to the Financial Stability Forum at the global level. The forum would be created among finance ministries, central banks, and financial market regulators and supervisors.

Presenter: Suthad Setboonsarng, Thai Trade Representative, Thailand

Comments by Discussants
Discussant 1: Sabyasachi Mitra, Senior Economist, ADB
Discussant 2 : Charles Adams, Professor, Lee Kwan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore

Open Floor Discussion

Coffee break

Session II: Fiscal Policy Coordination

Chairperson: Shujiro Urata, Professor, Waseda University

Paper 2: Fiscal Policy Coordination
This paper focuses on fiscal policy. Issues to be covered include: the desirability of setting up an Asia Investment Infrastructure Fund (AIIF) in order to facilitate channeling of regional savings to desired infrastructure projects in the region; the potential for arranging bilateral long-term infra-regional loans for infrastructure investment; and potential frameworks for regional cooperation and integration.

Presenter: Mahani Zainal Abidin, Director- General, Institute of Strategic and International Studies

Comments by Discussant
Discussant 1: HE Fan, IWEP, CASS, PRC
Discussant 2 : Yung Chul Park, Professor, Korea University

Open Floor Discussion

Photo Session and Lunch Break

Session III: Monetary Policy, Currency Policy and Reserve Management Cooperation

Chairperson: Shin-ichi Fukuda, Professor, Tokyo University

Paper 3: Monetary Policy, Currency Policy and Reserve Management Cooperation
This paper focuses on monetary policy, currency policy and reserve management mainly issues related to the potential for regional cooperation and monitoring, including the costs and benefits thereof.

Presenter: Masahiro Kawai, Dean, ADB Institute

Comments by Discussants
Discussant 1: Shinji Takagi, Professor, Osaka University
Discussant 2 : Anwar Nasution, Chairman, Audit Board, Indonesia

Open Floor Discussion

Session IV: Regional Trade Policy

Chairperson: Mario Lamberte, Director of Research, ADBI

Paper 4: Regional Trade Policy
This paper focuses on regional trade policy. Issues covered include: the outlook for the DOHA free trade round; the benefits and process of establishing a Free Trade Agreement covering the ASEAN+3 countries (or more); and impacts of import tariffs in the current array of regional FTAs.

Presenter: Chia Siow Yue, Senior Research Fellow, Singapore Institute of International Affairs

Comments by Discussants
Discussant1 : Shujiro Urata, Professor, Waseda University
Discussant 2 : Robert Scollay, Director, APEC Study Centre and Associate Professor, University of Auckland

Open Floor Discussion

Coffee break

Session V: Political Economy of Regional Integration and Cooperation

Chairperson: Anwar Nasution, Chairman, Audit Board, Indonesia

Paper 5: Political Economy of Regional Integration and Cooperation
This paper focuses on the political economy of regional integration and cooperation. Progress toward regional economic and financial integration in Asia has been notably slow in some aspects compared with developments in Europe and the Americas, and faster in others. A better understanding of the reasons for this, and ways to reduce possible roadblocks, is needed.

Presenter: Saori Katada, Professor, University of Southern California, USA

Comments by Discussants
Discussant 1: Rodolfo Severino, Head, ASEAN Studies Centre Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
Discussant 2 : Zhang Yunling, Director of the Institute of Asia Pacific Studies, CASS, PRC (tbc)

Open Floor Discussion

Session VI: Wrap-up Session

Conference wrap-up
Moderator: Masahiro Kawai

Panelists:
Chalongphob Sussangkarn - Summary of key issues discussed
Yung Chul Park
Shujiro Urata
Charles Adams
Rodolfo Severino
TBD
TBD