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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 marketsinAsia. The ATF was created by Gordon Brown (then serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer) on 2 December 2004.[1]
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]
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.
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.