Cii To Promote Asean, Tn Trade Link

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) will invite an Asean country (Association of South East Asian Nations) to the state to explore the potential for improved industrial relations between the two regions, the new chairman of CIIs southern regional chapter, Venu Srinivasan, said here yesterday.

Towards this end, the chambers southern region office would hold a partnership summit in the city from January 8 to 10, 1998, Srinivasan said.

The Asean nation to be inviteed will be decided amongst Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Srinivasan said Tamil Nadu and the Asean countries had a history of cultural and trade relations and the summit could provide a forum for industrialists from both sides to interact closely.

 

CII was `bullish on the state and planned to focus the global business communitys attention on the state, Srinivasan added.

He lauded the measures taken by the state government to bring about transparency and speed in the industrial approval mechanism, adding that the climate was now favourable for the industry.

The finer details of the summit were being worked out and negotiations had begun with various countries for participation in the meet, Srinivasan said.

CII southern regions other events during the year include `Foorpro 97 at Chennai for the food processing industry, `destination south, a tourism summit at Kochi, `international franchise congress at Bangalore and `logistics 97 at Chennai.

In a departure from its traditional line of interacting only with the Prime Minister and chief ministers, the CII plans to talk to panchayat councillors, municipal corporation officials, mayors, commissioners of police and MLAs. This shift in strategy is part of CIIs programme to catalyse action at the local level to improve urban infrastructure and to impart momentum to economic growth at grassroots level.