Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The number of participants in the World Economic Forum - East Asia (WEF - EA), held here from June 12 to 13, 2011, increased if compared with that in the previous meeting in Vietnam in 2010.

WEF director for Asia Sushant Palakurthi Rao said here on Sunday that the number of WEF-EA participants in Vietnam in 2010 was recorded at 450 while in the on-going event in Jakarta the number reached 600 participants.

"Last year about 450 participants attended the event in Vietnam but now there are 600 participants taking part, or about 42 percent of those in the previous meeting," he said.

He said that the increasing number of the participants indicated their increasing enthusiasm towards the achievements Indonesia had made over the past view years.

Indonesia was chosen to host the 20th WEF - EA meeting because it was considered it was strategic as it was the current chairman of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2011. Besides Indonesia is a big economy in East Asia and a member of the G-20 developing country group.

The WEF is being attended by government leaders, business makers, civil society members and academicians. The meeting was opened by President Susilob Bambang Yudhoyono on Sunday.

Vice President Boediono is expected to attend the forum on Monday.
(Uu.A014/O001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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