Pan Asian e-Commerce Alliance

21 February 2003 : Pan-Asian E-Commerce Alliance Meets in Malaysia

The Pan-Asian E-Commerce Alliance (PAA) held its 11th Steering Committee Meeting in Kuala Lumpur from 20th to 21st February 2003. The meeting was attended by Tradelink, CrimsonLogic, CIECC, KTNET, Trade-Van, TEDI Club, Dagang Net and TEDMEV. TEDMEV is the latest member accepted in the PAA. Representatives from EDI Indonesia attended the meeting as observer.

Mr. Mathivanan, Chairman of the PAA and CEO of CrimsonLogic said, "We have made substantial progress in the pilots for the PAA Secure Cross Border Transaction Service. To date, successful pilots were conducted on cross border transactions among business entities from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. Among the new entrants to these pilots are well known establishments such as Mitsubishi Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation. SME such as Aw Boon Kwee Transport of Singapore also supported the projects by doing both customs brokering and forwarding functions. Under our Certificate Authority (CA) Mutual Recognition scheme, GFACA of China, and JETS of Japan were given full recognition making a total of 6 CAs being endorsed under the scheme".

The Pan Asian Portal (www.paa.net) is also being enhanced to include the member economies' Economics and Trade Statistics, Trade Procedures, Country Information, Business Practices and Culture, and URL Links to trade-related Government Agencies. This information would be provided at no cost to visitors to the PAA portal and users of PAA services.

Other initiatives discussed by the Steering Committee included:

• Progress on the development of the cargo tracking service initiated by KTNET.
• Endorsement of the PAA Interconnection Specification version 2.0.
• Adopt the use of ebXML Interoperability Test Specification Part 1 version 1.0.
• Malaysia's MSC Trustgate has applied for recognition for certification under PAA Certificate Authority Mutual Recognition scheme.

Dagang Net of Malaysia hosted a dinner in honour of the PAA Steering Committee meeting held in Malaysia for the first time. Encik Ahmad Pardas Senin, Director of Dagang Net, Managing Director of TIME Engineering Berhad and also President of ICT Division UEM-RENONG was the Guest of Honour. Encik Ahmad Pardas Senin thanked PAA for the endorsement of Dagang Net as a member of the Alliance. As quoted, he said, "I am confident that with Dagang Net's ready infrastructure, established exchange network and extensive pool of customers and partners, we will create a critical mass for PAA members to perform cross-border transactions with their Malaysian counterparts and vice versa. It is also a privilege to be part of this significant Asian initiative, as well as a challenge to contribute our best resources to help achieve the PAA charter successfully, for the benefit of the entire Asian business community."

At the end of the 11th PAA Steering Committee, the Chairman Mr Mathivanan, also shared his goal for this coming year to be as follows :

• 1. Have all members participate in the provision of PAA Secure Cross Border Transaction Service
• 2. PAA to focus on growing the market rather than on competition
• 3. Continue to enhance the business environment as a grouping of responsible commercial entities in line with the various Governments' initiatives to promote e-Commerce and Secure Cross Border Trade

The 12th Steering Committee Meeting of the PAA will be held in SEOUL on 29th to 30th MAY, 2003.