I TOLD YOU!

(Translation of "Se los Dije")

Kim Hyun Joong: most coveted Korean product

You might think this is pathetic, but I did jump and clapped real hard, feeling vindicated -all over!- after hearing from the real experts in economy and international relations. They confirmed that the ties between Asia and Latin America (LA) are growing stronger and at a very fast pace. I TOLD YOU! This year a meeting called FOCALAE (Forum of Cooperation between LA and East Asia, (well translation close enough) gathered the ministers of  external affairs of both continents.


So, what about it? well, this is the official agreement between the biggest markets in the world. Asia is one of the most productive regions and LA's natural resources are unique (read the little label on your bananas).


Check out these facts: 

• The commercial trade between both regions quadrupled in the last 10 years (the largest commercial increase between two regions).
• The countries that form FOCALAE represent: a 40% of the world population, a 33% of the world economy and a 30% of the world commerce. 

Check out the videos (posted in the "¡Te lo dije! section)
The first video (the one with the Lebanon flag) is about the 2010 meeting. It's only 5 min, (bear with me a little). In short, they state the first state of this relationship is to cultivate the knowledge of the social and cultural aspects of each country. China's minister indicates: “Together we form a huge market (here's my vindication!) consisting of 30 countries, regions, and 4,000 million people". My favorite words were from one of the Argentinean ministers: "It is in the cultural diversity, the plurality, that we may find the most valuable of richness. Nature taught us this". 

The second video (just 5 min more, please?), the animator Moisés Naim, states basically the same. He gives an example of India and their Bollywood phenomena (a contagious bongo-bongo video,with a beautiful sexy girl, and a guy that seriously needs a makeover, asap). Moisés gives details of  Indian businesses established in Mexico, and so on. He highlights the change in LA's traditional relationship patterns: commercially with the US, and culturally with Eurpoe. It continues this way but now it has increased ties with Asia, and he presents a map (4:16) detailing the commercial traffic between both continents. There's only one detail I don't agree with, his statement: " 700% increase in exports...", sorry, but statistically speaking is not possible.

Here's the list of the countries that form FOCALAE. Analyze, what will be the impact of these ties in each of these countries according to their existing resources?, how about the general impact in the entire continent?...

LATIN AMERICA: Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Chile, Colombia,Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador,El Salvador,Guatemala, México, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Perú, Rep. Dominicana, Uruguay, y Venezuela (¡Ay, bendito!, what about PR, ¡¿are they THAT busy?!)

EAST ASIA: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Camboya, China, Indonesia, Japón, Corea del Sur, Filipinas, Singapur, Tailandia, Laos, Malasia, Mongolia,Myanmar, Nueva Zelandia y Vietnam

Shakira: shaking the world market!

Take this as an example: this year the FTA (Free Trade Agreement) was signed between the US, Panama (recall it has the Canal connecting the Atlantic & Pacific oceans), Colombia (great exporter of metal, coffee, crude, and Shakira), and Korea ( third biggest importer/exporter in Asia -with highly skilled human resources, sophisticated technology, and Kim Hyun Joong!) it is all just a matter of waiting for the results of the first quarter of  2012. BTW: is it just my imagination or PR suddenly is invisible?

You really don't have to be an economist or an international affairs minister to figure out the benefits derived from this relationship. It will bring great commercial, cultural and social opportunities. 

Dear Latina Friend: Go for it!. Dust off your creativity and ambitions. This goes beyond cute Koreans in dramas, and exciting J-pop musicians. This is the future. And don't underestimate your idea: selling your favorite Latin side dish in China, or showing off to the people in Dubai your country's crafts. It is not ridiculous or impossible to achieve. Just get informed, calculate, educate yourself, get connected, and pack your bags! 

I'll just ask you one thing: a pic of your first earned dollar, yen, won, yuan, or whatever the currency... ¡oh, yes!, and also a pic of your Latin-Asian baby,  (there's not one that is not cute, like Shakira: her dad is Lebanese-American).