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ASIA PACIFIC FOUNDATION OF CANADA
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thinking about asia
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Sixteen years ago, when the Canadian Parliament established the Asia Pacific Foundation
of Canada, it appeared self-evident that Canada should deepen its involvement across
the Pacific. Nine of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies in the previous 15 years
were in East Asia. In 1984, China’s GDP grew an amazing 14.6%. Taiwan recorded 10.6%
growth; Hong Kong 9.8%; Singapore 8.3%; South Korea 10.1%; and Indonesia 7.0%. Even
the huge Japanese economy expanded by 4.3%. A new engine of the world economy, it
seemed, was emerging across the Pacific. The challenge was to ensure Canadians were well
informed about, and could take advantage of, the new Asian dynamism.
Today, the certainty of that dynamism has weakened. The financial crisis of 1997 has taken
its toll, not only of Asian economies, but of the confidence of many business and
policymakers that Asia will set the pace in the early 21 st century. At the same time,
globalization and the growing integration of the North American economy have diverted
attention away from Asia. To meet this challenge, the Asia Pacific Foundation has adopted
new strategies to achieve its mandate of providing Canadians with the information and
insights necessary to deal effectively with Asia. There is a need for more sophisticated
analysis and policy advice today than was available in the past, when the question “Why
Asia?” was hardly ever raised. The goal the APFC has adopted is to be the “think-tank”
on Canada’s relationship with Asia.
To help Canadians understand the more complex world of the 21 st century, and to keep
them abreast of the rapidly changing Asian environment, the APFC now concentrates
on the development and distribution of timely information and focused analysis for
businesspeople and policymakers. This material is being made as widely accessible as possible,
as quickly as possible. Most of APFC’s information resources are available through its new
Internet website .
In this way the Foundation has created a dynamic “knowledge base” on Canada-Asia
relations. From a wide range of up-to-date statistics to forums for discussion of current
issues, provides interested Canadians with one-stop access to
information and ideas on our Asian relationship. Subscribers can access a digest of major
news from Asia affecting Canada, available daily by e-mail. An electronic newsletter,
Canada Asia Commentary, provides in-depth analysis of developing issues for Canada,