I lived in Singapore for 20 years (now in Canada) working with major MNC’s across the APAC region, and I’ve been encouraging Canadian businesses to explore ASEAN opportunities since 2016. The Indo-Pacific accounts for only about 10% of Canada’s exports – and most of that still goes to the familiar partners: China, South Korea, and Japan.
In many ways, Canada is late to the party. The EU, the U.S., China, and Australia have been building deep commercial roots in ASEAN for years. So, the real question becomes: how does Canada catch up and compete?
Government-to-government and energy-related exports – oil & gas, fertilizer, food products, agriculture, etc., are strong and well established. But what about the smaller manufacturers, the “butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker” types of companies who want to grow internationally?
They need pathways too. And it’s not just about access to financing or understanding Incoterms, it’s about giving companies real commercial guidance: where to compete, how to compete, and how to win.