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A TURN IN THE FOREIGN POLICY OF COLOMBIA FIN

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ASIA
By: DIANA GOMEZ ANDREA
internationalist political scientist, specializing in studies Asian
Bogotá
never had held a meeting with Asia intercontinental such dimensions, as was the Third Summit China - Latin America, held on 25 and 26 November in Corferias. Some 700 Chinese and American businessmen representing 200 Chinese companies participated, 300 of America America and 300 Colombians.
The summit, which follows those in Santiago de Chile in 2007 and Harbin (city of northeast China) in 2008, is significant in a country isolated and lacking a consistent foreign policy as Colombia. One reflection of this is that Colombian exports to Asia as a percentage of GDP is less than a tenth of those of Chile, and only 20% of Brazil, Argentina or Peru. Trade between China and Latin America last year totaled U.S. $ 143.387 million, representing growth of 39.7 percent over the previous period. Meanwhile, Colombia is almost absent from the distribution of benefits of trade with China.
To that extent, the III Summit should have become crucial opportunity to strengthen ties with China to promote bilateral trade between two continents, strengthen investment ties between the two countries and also promote areas such as tourism, but it was not . The event was not the display that must have had.


Policy Changes President Uribe's speech in the context of the Summit represents a major shift in Colombian politics in the sense that the country recognizes the lag in Colombia compared to other Latin American nations, and therefore considered very important to address the eyes of foreign policy to Asia. "Some Latin American countries go much further in the integration with Asia. We do not. And you want it to be faster, "he said at the opening ceremony.
In fact, the Friday before the summit, the Foreign Ministry and the Coordinating Group on Foreign Policy (CGSE) presented with the President's" Strategy for inclusion Colombia in the Asia Pacific markets. "The initiative began by Decree 2884 (August 6, 2008), creating the Administrative System of Foreign Policy Coordination.
The presentation of the Strategy showed how in 2008 the main destination of exports was China. The 2 nd was Singapore (moved to Japan) sale of oil and derivatives. Also in 2008 the main source of our imports was China. The 2 nd was Japan followed by South Korea. Just between January and September 2009, Colombian exports to China totaled $ 523 million, representing an increase of 61 percent over the same period in 2008.

regional context
The shift in Colombia's foreign policy is framed within a context of crisis with Venezuela, which necessarily puts the government and the private sector in another perspective, more receptive to focus on other horizons. Asia takes center stage here, especially now when China has shown strength against the global economic downturn: GDP stood at 8% in 2009.
In turn, the U.S. recession has meant to our economy the need for diversification of markets, encouraged by the recent business wheels in Brazil, Guatemala and the United States, with business expectations exceeding 200 million dollars.
Another new feature of foreign policy it is the start of talks with Singapore. For this purpose, Nov. 24 President Uribe and Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez met at the Palacio de Nariño Chong Lit Cheong, CEO of International Enterprise promotion agency IE Singapore, with a view to concluding the start of negotiations a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) initiative is in addition to investment agreements with Korea and India, ready to be signed in 2010.
Regionally, the Latin American challenge is to add value to their exports to China and promote diversification of products to sell to Asia. In this context, the Colombia FTA with EU becomes as a guarantor of trust necessary for Asian countries, which would facilitate negotiations with them.
Moreover, while Colombia is isolated from the region, several Latin American countries have increased with each increasing economic dynamics, promoting intra-regional trade. This makes it even more indispensable looking for new perspectives country markets. In fact, to establish links with Asian countries, it is important for them to know that the relationship is harmonious with our neighbors, given the traditional emphasis they place in relation to the context. Therefore, the isolation of Colombia compared to other countries in your neighborhood is a plus.

More political leadership
All initiatives, such as reaching out to Asia and the diversification of markets to countries in Latin America, necessarily involve the establishment of a systematic structural policy plan for the long and medium term, with effective enforcement realistic programs involving first know the strengths and weaknesses of the Colombian market and the potential to develop. A drastic change in Colombia's foreign policy is needed, which in turn would combat improvisation and immediate view, typical of our Latin American realities.
To this we must add the appropriate opening of embassies in strategic countries in Asia, as well as encouraging the presence of Colombia in key scenarios such as the Arc of the Pacific, must work much more effectively.
The goal is to bring progress to the fourth serious business summit to be held next year in Shanghai (China), will also host city Universal Exhibition in 2010.
If there is one lesson to be learned from the experience of countries in Asia is that behind the economic decisions of more liberalization of the market that they are, present a strong political leadership.