Asia Task Force

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The Asia Task Force (ATF) is a government advisory group in the United Kingdom with the overall aim of boosting trade and investment between the UK and high-growth and emerging markets in Asia. The ATF was created by Gordon Brown (then serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer) on 2 December 2004. [1]

United Kingdom Country in Europe

The United Kingdom, officially the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland but more commonly known as the UK or Britain, is a sovereign country lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland. The United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign state‍—‌the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border, the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the North Sea to the east, the English Channel to the south and the Celtic Sea to the south-west, giving it the 12th-longest coastline in the world. The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland. With an area of 242,500 square kilometres (93,600 sq mi), the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world. It is also the 22nd-most populous country, with an estimated 66.0 million inhabitants in 2017.

Asia Earths largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the Eastern and Northern Hemispheres

Asia is Earth's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the Eastern and Northern Hemispheres. It shares the continental landmass of Eurasia with the continent of Europe and the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with both Europe and Africa. Asia covers an area of 44,579,000 square kilometres (17,212,000 sq mi), about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area. The continent, which has long been home to the majority of the human population, was the site of many of the first civilizations. Asia is notable for not only its overall large size and population, but also dense and large settlements, as well as vast barely populated regions. Its 4.5 billion people constitute roughly 60% of the world's population.

Membership

Members of the Asia Task Force are senior business leaders and members of academia. It is co-chaired by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

On assuming the Co-Chairmanship of the ATF in May 2010, Vince Cable said:

"If we are looking for growth, we should be looking to Asia. Asia is driving the global recovery and its growing middle classes are seeking more of what we can produce. We want UK businesses to export more goods and services to these markets. Through UK Trade & Investment, we will help British companies to play their full part." [2]

Objectives

  1. To identify the current and future challenges faced by UK companies operating in Asian markets and to suggest practical ways to overcome and anticipate them;[ citation needed ]
  2. To raise awareness among UK companies of the potential opportunities in these markets and to provide a resource to support companies seeking to do business in Asia;[ citation needed ]
  3. To contribute to the UK’s response to globalisation by bringing together the business community, Government and academia to develop a coherent strategy.[ citation needed ]

Meetings

The first full meeting of the ATF was held on 27 October 2005. The Chancellor opened proceedings with a speech on the growing importance of Asia in the world economy and said he would welcome ideas and policy proposals from the ATF for the government to consider. [3]

The ATF meets around twice a year - the minutes and membership details are published on UK Trade & Investment's ATF pages.

Activities

On the advice and recommendation of the Asia Task Force, UK Trade & Investment regularly runs ‘Doing Business in Asia - Meet the Experts' events throughout the UK designed to galvanise more companies to explore opportunities in key Asian markets.

Further information can be obtained from the Doing Business in Asia: Meet the Experts website.

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