Participants at the recently held webinar "Accelerate Digital Economy for Inclusive Integration in the Asia Pacific – Connecting Digital Industries in Pandemic" called for leveraging digital opportunities to build an inclusive ecosystem and promoting regional integration, which is particularly important while still combating the pandemic.

A digital economy is increasingly perceived as the way to overcome disruptions caused by Covid-19.

Representatives and thought leaders from government, industry and academic sectors across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) joined the virtual conversation organised by Huawei to explore the multiple facets of the digital economy.

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Ambassador of Indonesia to China Djauhari Oratmangun said, "The digital transformation has been significantly accelerated during the pandemic, speeding up business changes."

Based on digital knowledge and infrastructure, the digital economy has powered a growing proportion of regional GDP and boosted resilience amid the pandemic.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) predicts the digital economy will contribute $1 trillion to regional GDP by year.

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Countries from the region have released future-oriented roadmaps on removing trade barriers, improving digital coverage and ensuring ubiquitous access to digital services to facilitate the implementation of the digital economy.

"The development of the digital economy ecosystem is a process that involves active participation of multiple stakeholders including those from the private sectors," said Dr Le Quang Lan, assistant director for ICT and Tourism Division at ASEAN Secretariat, when referring to enabling a digital economy ecosystem to accelerate social recovery and regional integration.

Dr Tan Khee Giap, chairman of the Singapore National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation, said: "Digitalisation is not just about technological progress, but quality empowerment of digitalisation to the public at large is paramount if inclusive integration is to be achieved. The role of the government is providing digital capability as a public good, it can be complemented by private sector ICT companies."

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Professor Jose Decolongon, COO and managing director of Corporate Foresight, Embiggen Consulting Philippines said: "Micro, small, medium enterprises need to have an understanding of digitalisation to perceive the opportunities when it comes to exploring the digital side of the business."