SOUTH vs. SOUTH: THE TRANSPACIFIC RACE TO THE BOTTOM?

 

A Conference of the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation (FES) and the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE)

 

Mexico-City, 30-31 of October 2003

 

 

 

 

The current world trade system and economic export-oriented strategies lead to a growing competition between countries within the South. Products of developing and emerging countries do not only compete in the markets of the industrialized world but also in their own borders. At the same time, the race for foreign investments intensifies.

 

The closing of over a hundred maquila-factories in Mexico and their transfer to China and other developing countries seems to signal a new phase in this process. Such developments have serious – positive as well as negative - economic and social consequences for the societies in which they take place.

 

Addressing the above mentioned special case of transpacific competition, the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation wants to foster an exchange of government, business and union representatives in East Asia and in Latin America, especially Mexico.

 

This international conference will first analyze economic strategies of the two regions, in a second step it will address the social impact of the transpacific competition, and finally discuss strategies that could help to limit and/or prevent the negative consequences of this special case of global competition.

 

 

Venue:     Hotel Casa Blanca  “Salón Covadonga II“

La Fragua N° 7

Colonia Tabacalera

Ciudad de Mexico

Telf.: 57 05 13 00

Fax: 55 92 81 25

Thursday, october 30

 

I.                 Welcome and Introduction (E. Hillebrand/E. Friedrich, FES and Antonio Ortiz, CIDE)

10:00-10:30

 

 

 

II.             Balancing the Facts

 

a)    East Asia: Korea's response to the 'Chinese Challenge' - An overview and some conclusions for the policy perspectives of Latin American countries

Kim Won-Ho, Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP)

10:30-11:15

 

b)    China´s integration into the world economy: an assessment from within

Yin Xingmin, China Centre for Economic Studies, Fudan

University

11:15-12:00

 

 

Coffee Break

12:00-12:30

 

 

c)     Latin America in the international economy: a critical assessment

Peter Nunnenkamp, Institute for World Economics, Germany

12:30-13:15

 

d)    Mexico: NAFTA and the search for free trade agreements

Antonio Ortiz Mena, CIDE

13:15-14:00

 

Chair: E. Hillebrand

 

Lunch

14:00-15:00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

III.         The transpacific competition: Positions and Opinions

 

a) Mexico

Crisis of the Maquila in México: Competitiveness and 'Chinese  Challenge'

Jorge Carrillo, COLEF, México

15:00-15:30

Mexico’s industrial market and its structural features

Alfred Camahaji, CANACINTRA

15:30-16:00

 

             b) Comment:        Eduardo Ramos, Ministry of Economy

16:00-16:20

        

 

c) “Brazilian Market and its structural features”

Ricardo Sennes, Prospectiva-Consult, Brazil

16:30-17:00

 

 

d) Commentaries: Latin America and East Asia: A Clash of (economic) Civilizations?

Kim Won-Ho

17:30-17:50

Yin Xingmin

17:50-18:10

Peter Nunnenkamp

                        18:10-18:30

 

Chair: Antonio Ortiz, CIDE

 

 

Friday, october 31st

 

 

IV.           Strategies for the future: What has to be done?

 

a)    Evading the race to the bottom: Global labor and environmental standards as a mean to level the playing field?

Roy Jones, Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD, Paris

10:00-10:30

 

Is there a reduction in environmental standards as a mean to attract foreign investment?

Isabel Studer, FLACSO

10:30-11:00

 

 

b)    “National strategies vs. Open Doors?”

Clemente Ruíz, UNAM

11:00-11:30

Alejandro Villamar, RMALC

11:30-12:00

 

Coffee Break

12:00-12:30

 

c)     Investing in Education and Technology

John Scott, CIDE

12:00-12:30

Gildardo Villalobos, CONACYT

12:30-13:00

 

Chair: FES

 

V.               Conclusion

 

13:00 – 14:00

 

5 minute presentation by each keynote speaker of the main conclusions and actions to follow

 

Expected results:

·        exchange of major players in both regions

·        presentation of background information

·        contribution to an understanding of the process

·        raising awareness of the social consequences esp. for Latin America

·        raising awareness of possible national development strategies within the global context

·        discussion of mechanisms and strategies for new global instruments of social and environmental politics

·        conference report (distributed to all participants)

·        conference paper that includes suggestions for further development of the project

 

 

Lunch

14:00-15:30

 

 

simultaneous translation (spanish-english)