Message from Chairman       I extend my warmest welcome to all the FAPRA members and visitors for visiting our website.   FAPRA is a gathering of representative retail associations from countries in the Asia-Pacific region.  Strongly supported by our member countries, we have grown to a central organization for the Asia Pacific retail industry. By successfully hosting the 14 APRCEs in the past, we were able to show the world the ability and role of FAPRA.

I believe that the most important role of FAPRA is to inspire members to share the latest issues and to find the most suitable solutions in the global network. Our 17 member associations will continue to discuss and cooperate through our regular meetings and also through this website.

Based on our continuous endeavors to discover new visions and strategies for the future, FAPRA will contribute to the sustainable growth of global retail market.

Thank you once again for all your interest and I hope that you will continue to support FAPRA.

LEE CHUL WOO
Chairman
Federation of Asia-Pacific Retailers Associations

Message from Secretary General     As the Asia-Pacific region plays an increasingly important role in the world¡¯s economy, members in the Federation of Asia-Pacific Retailers Associations decided to take actions to better participate in the role.   Thus the Permanent Secretariat was established in March 2006 upon the resolution of the 12th Asian Retailers Convention & Exhibition. The approval to

the Permanent Secretariat¡¯s Guiding Rules in May 2006 is an indication of members¡¯ support to the P. S. and also an indication of the P. S¡¯s dedication to members.

The long history, the rich culture, and the diligent people are the common treasure of the countries and areas in the Asia-Pacific region. For the continued prosperity of local retail business, economy and people, our FAPRA members are working hard. I am very pleased to note that all the FAPRA members are playing an active role in the economic life of their own countries or areas. And also I am very glad to note that our members wish to contribute to the prosperity of the regional economy by sharing expertise and leveraging synergies.

Please allow me, at the launch of FAPRA website, to take the opportunity to express my thanks to members and to all those who have helped FAPRA. The newly established Permanent Secretariat shall work hard to promote friendly exchanges among members and with retailers associations in other regions. I hope the website can be a platform for members to exchange ideas and share best practices so that we can bring ourselves forward and bring FAPRA forward. It is my firm belief that with joined efforts from members, FAPRA shall keep growing and play a greater role to the regional retail business.

Prof. Xiaoning Cao
Secretary General
Permanent Secretariat
Federation of Asia-Pacific Retailers Associations