COVID-19 has accelerated digitalization and reiterate the importance of open collaboration between countries. The phenomenal of social distancing has redefined the shape of networking, replacing offline execution with online amplification.
The Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK) 2020 will be the first APK to be fully held digitally in lieu of the COVID-19 pandemic. The most-anticipated event for German and Asia-Pacific businesses would feature high-ranking speakers that includes Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany who will address the topic of European economic relations with the Asia-Pacific. Meanwhile, the global COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digitalization - redefining what is 鈥渘ormal鈥� via digital means.
This is not a brand-new issue. During APK 2018 in Jakarta, the acceleration of digitalization was widely anticipated and discussed. Under the theme 鈥淏uilding a Smart Future鈥�, APK 2018 pointed out the urgency of digitalization and innovation. The topic of Industrie 4.0 was also a major discussion. Reflecting back, the event saw discussions on how Artificial intelligence plays a role in everyday life and the economy. These are topics that are still highly relevant, if not more so, today.
It is natural in APK Digital 2020 for the discussion to take the natural step of highlighting Society 5.0, which focuses on positioning the human being at the center of technological innovation for the benefit of humanity. This concept - introduced by the Japanese government in 2015 - places the society at the center of Industrie 4.0. Society 5.0 focuses on the application of technology stimulated by Industry 4.0 to solve mankind鈥檚 problems such as population ageing and social inequality.
Businesses have many opportunities that lie ahead with digital implementation, allowing businesses to have closer cooperation. In the context of European and Asia Pacific countries, APK Digital plays a major role, especially in the current battle against COVID-19. This is a time when companies are struggling to keep their business afloat and are coping by managing their human resources by relying on the tools that works during this time 鈥� digital technology.
During the 鈥淧ost COVID-19 Perspective鈥� online-seminar held by the German-Indonesian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (EKONID), in partnership with the Singaporean-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (SGC) and the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Vietnam, on September 17, 2020, Dr. Philipp Roesler, former German Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, emphasized two key-takeaways: that there is a new push in digitalization through the COVID-19 crisis, that which calls need for closer cooperation between Europe and ASEAN. In this regard, with the rise of Society 5.0, a change of mindset is needed by companies to stay ahead of the curve. Companies embarking on digital transformation should focus not just in technological innovation but also societal impact.
Growing digitalization is not simply about technical change, and the changes are not only impacting global trade and the economy, but also our societies. Nowadays, identifications such as passport, ID, and license are now available in digital form where they are accessible anytime through your electronic devices. Everything is digital. APK is no stranger to this rapid change. And due to the global crises we are facing right now, the inevitable change is here. Thus, APK Digital both addresses and exemplifies how, despite the challenges, we can keep the conversation between German and Asia-Pacific businesses rolling.