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PRINCIPLES AND RATIONALE
The integration of the 10 ASEAN member nations, namely, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand, to form the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), which will officially start in 2015, will have inevitable impact on every member country. It is necessary, therefore, that Thailand be prepared to cope efficiently with the changes and challenges introduced by this regional integration, in order to improve the country’s potential, increase its security and stability, and enhance its competency to compete with other regions economically, politically and socio-culturally.
China has emerged as an economic superpower of the world, with enormous influence on every ASEAN member country, especially Thailand, which has attracted the most Chinese investors amongst the ASEAN countries. China, therefore, plays an essential role in the development of the AEC.
An understanding of China’s role and foreign policies regarding the AEC, as well as a thorough analysis of potential benefits to Thailand and China after the launch of the AEC, will contribute to proper shaping of Thailand’s and other ASEAN countries’ investment strategies and socio-economic development.
With Thailand, an ASEAN member nation, China has always maintained a close economic, commercial, educational and cultural relationship. Compared with the other ASEAN countries, Thailand has welcomed the largest proportion of Chinese investment, worth a total of 1.7 billion THB (based on a 2012 figure). In terms of education, the Chinese government has established a total of 13 Confucius institutes and 11 Confucius classrooms, and, since 2003, has sent approximately 8,000 volunteers to Thailand.
Mae Fah Luang University realises the need to promote educational collaboration and development between Thailand, China and the other ASEAN countries. This conference will feature dialogues between relevant experts concerning (i) the benefits, business opportunities and effects of the AEC on Thailand and China; (ii) Thailand’s concrete preparation for new challenges induced by the AEC; and (iii) China’s policies towards the AEC, particularly in terms of advancing of Chinese culture and Chinese-language learning.
In addition, this conference will serve as a stage where Chinese-learning-related ideas, methods and strategies can be brainstormed and research studies presented. This event is expected not only to broaden Mae Fah Luang University staff’s and students’ view regarding Chinese learning and teaching, but also to promote collaboration and exchange of academic vision between students, lecturers and scholars in the fields of Sinology and ASEAN Studies in Thailand, its Greater Mekong sub-regional neighbours and in the international community. It is hoped, then, that such academic collaboration and exchange will serve as a foundation for a sustainable relationship between China and ASEAN countries.
Therefore, the university will stage the ‘Mae Fah Luang Academic Conference’ in 2014, an international conference presented under the theme ‘Impact of China towards ASEAN Integration’.
