The Tenth Meeting of the ASEAN-Canada Joint Cooperation Committee (ASEAN- Canada JCC) was held on 27-28 May 1996 in Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia. The Meeting reviewed progress in the ASEAN-Canada Dialogue Relations, exchanged views on the preparations for the coming G-7 Summit in Lyon, the status of international initiatives such as APEC, ASEM, AFTA and NAFTA, and the preparations for the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference in Singapore, and discussed measures to further expand trade and investment linkages as well as development cooperation between ASEAN and Canada.

The ASEAN Delegation was led by H.E. Dato' Abdul Majid Ahmad Khan, Director- General, ASEAN-Malaysia, who co-chaired the Meeting. The Canadian delegation was headed by H. E. Len Edwards, Assistant Deputy Minister, Asia Pacific Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, who co-chaired the Meeting.

The opening remarks was given by H. E. Datuk Dr. Leo Michael Toyad, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia. In his opening remarks, H.E. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia, stated that the ASEAN-Canada Dialogue must evolve and respond to the changing global scenario and the impending expansion of ASEAN to embrace all the ten South East Asian states in the region. He drew attention to the important role the JCC must play as a catalyst to further enhance and consolidate ASEAN-Canada relationship.

The Deputy Minister stressed the importance of private sector participation in promoting and sustaining- economic development and prosperity . He mentioned that the creation of AFTA and ASEAN growth areas and the recent ASEAN initiative on the Mekong, Basin Development are designed to spur private sector involvement and collaboration. He accordingly urged the private sector of both sides to jointly exploit the opportunities that are available in the areas of infrastructure development, transportation, information technology, energy, tourism environmental, financial and educational services.

The Meeting noted with appreciation the growth of ASEAN-Canada trade and investment flows. Between 1989 to 1996, ASEAN exports to Canada grew from C$ 1.6 billion to C$ 5 billion. Current Canadian exports to ASEAN in 1995 totalled C$ 2.6 billion. However the Meeting noted the there are still untapped opportunities for expanding trade and investment linkages between ASEAN and Canada.

The Meeting agreed that awareness of ASEAN trade and investment opportunities in Canada and vice versa is a high priority. Furthermore, any effort to increase awareness should be sector-focussed and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and young entrepreneurs could be areas of special consideration. To facilitate the increased flow of trade and investment between ASEAN and Canada, the Meeting adopted the draft Canada-ASEAN Trade and Investment Action Plan. The draft Action Plan includes, among others, sector-specific trade and investment missions to Canada, an outreach and awareness program, a public relations campaign, and a special pro-ram for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and young entrepreneurs.

The Meeting also exchanged views with the private sector represented by the ASEAN- Canada Business Council (ACBC). The Meeting agreed on the importance of private sector- government cooperation and noted that there are many business opportunities in the region. The Meeting also agreed that there is a need to increase the private sector's level of awareness of these potentials, Both sides considered various ways of raisin- business awareness of the potentials including public relations programs and business familiarization programmes. In this regard, the Meeting agreed that the next ASEAN-Canada JCC will be held back-to-back With the ACBC Meeting in Montreal in May 1997, as art of Canada's Year of Asia Pacific.

The Meeting reviewed the status of commercial, industrial and technological cooperation between ASEAN and Canada. Both sides expressed interest in improving market access for some of their products and services. The Meeting identified various sectors of interest to ASEAN in which Canada has expertise, such as environmental pollution technology, forest management, mining, biotechnology, food processing and packaging, remote sensing and satellite communications, and agreed to further explore ways of pursuing industrial and technological cooperation in these areas.

The Meeting also reviewed the status of development cooperation between ASEAN and Canada. Canada highlighted its current areas of priority with the ASEAN countries and the emerging priorities in the areas of science and technology, environmental management technology transfer and integration of the private sector in its development cooperation program with ASEAN. ASEAN expressed its satisfaction over the assistance that Canada has extended to it over the past two decades.