(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, Nov. 7 (Petra)-- Economists affirmed that His Majesty King Abdullah II's upcoming Asian tour, beginning with a visit to Japan, represents a strategic economic opportunity to strengthen Jordan's presence in global supply chains, attract high-value investments across various sectors, and expand the Kingdom's production and export base.
They noted that these prospects would support economic growth, create sustainable job opportunities, and reinforce Jordan's position as a regional manufacturing hub capable of reaching global markets. The tour is also expected to add new consumers for Jordanian products, which today enjoy a strong reputation and high competitiveness.
They told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that the Royal tour will lead to new partnerships with the countries on His Majesty's itinerary, contributing to the creation of job opportunities for Jordanians, increasing the industrial sector's export capacity, and strengthening the Kingdom's role as a regional industrial hub in the Middle East.
The economists stressed that the tour reflects His Majesty's far-sighted vision in diversifying Jordan's economic and trade partners and enhancing its status as a regional center for trade, investment, and business, emphasizing the need to follow up on its outcomes and translate them into tangible opportunities that benefit the national economy.
His Majesty King Abdullah II begins the tour on Saturday with a visit to Japan, followed by Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, and Pakistan.
The Royal tour aims to deepen cooperation between Jordan and these countries and strengthen partnerships particularly in the economic and investment sectors. Several cooperation agreements and memorandums of understanding are expected to be signed during the tour and His Majesty's meetings.
According to data from the Department of Statistics, Jordan's imports from Japan during the first eight months of this year reached about JD180 million, compared with JD29 million in exports.
Jordan imported JD135 million worth of goods from Vietnam during the same period, compared with only JD1 million in exports. Imports from Singapore reached JD19 million, while exports approached JD7 million.
Jordan and Singapore signed a free trade agreement in 2004 Jordan's first with an Asian country and Singapore's first with a Middle Eastern state.
Jordan's imports from Indonesia during the first eight months of this year totaled JD267 million, compared with approximately JD67 million in exports. Imports from Pakistan reached about JD20 million, compared with JD9 million in exports.
Former minister and economic expert Khair Abu Sa'ilik said the timing of the Royal tour carries deep strategic significance, particularly as Asian economies now account for more than 40 percent of global economic output and are seeking reliable partners in a region marked by volatility.
He added that His Majesty has a clear vision for positioning Jordan as a safe and attractive platform for Asian investments, noting that the visit to Vietnam is especially promising as it could boost Jordan's apparel exports over the next three years and generate new direct jobs.
Abu Sa'ilik explained that Jordan aims to strengthen partnerships with Japan and Singapore in technology, innovation, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, digital transformation, and financial services. He noted that Jordan's ambition to become a regional hub for advanced technology is no longer out of reach, thanks to the Royal vision and national efforts to modernize the economy and attract quality investments.
He stressed the importance of the Jordanian private sector's participation in the tour, describing it as a natural partner in turning the outcomes of such visits into tangible opportunities. Representation from chambers of commerce and industry and major companies, he said, will help translate political understandings into real economic openings and elevate the presence of Jordanian products and services in the promising Asian markets.
For his part, President of the Jordanian Exporters Association, Senator Ahmad Al-Khudari, said the Royal tour represents a pivotal step in Jordan's efforts to expand economic partnerships with Asia and increase the presence of Jordanian exports in new and promising markets.
He noted that His Majesty's meetings with leaders and major economic institutions will help open broader horizons for Jordanian exports especially in sectors such as apparel, pharmaceuticals, food products, chemicals, and technology services, which already enjoy strong reputations in global markets.
Al-Khudari said His Majesty continues to exert exceptional efforts to elevate Jordan's position on the global economic map by attracting high-value investments and expanding export markets efforts that support economic growth, job creation, and the competitiveness of Jordanian products.
He added that the signing of agreements and MoUs during the tour will strengthen the institutional framework for economic relations and pave the way for sustainable partnerships between Jordan and East and Southeast Asian nations.
President of the Jordanian Businessmen Association, Ayman Al-Alawneh, said the Royal tour marks a strategic shift in Jordan's economic policy toward establishing balanced economic partnerships. It will open early doors for Jordanian businesspeople in East Asia's rising economies, offering greater flexibility to navigate global changes and move beyond traditional markets.
He noted that this shift allows Jordan to benefit from Asian development models including Singapore's digital transformation experience, Vietnam's agricultural development, Japan's advanced manufacturing, and Pakistan's food security technologies.
Al-Alaouneh said joint opportunities can be created in several high-value sectors aligned with Jordan's competitive advantages and its Economic Modernization Vision such as renewable energy investment, increased agricultural exports, boosting Asian tourism to the Kingdom, and establishing joint technology and innovation incubators.
He stressed the need for mechanisms to translate the tour's outcomes into practical investment opportunities and strategic partnerships, including developing the "Invest in Jordan" platform to feature a dedicated portal for Asian investors, designating industrial zones for Asian investments, and offering tailored incentives for high-value industries that support economic growth.
Meanwhile, the representative of the leather and garment sector at the Jordan Chamber of Industry, Ihab Qadri, said the Royal visit is a strategic economic opportunity to deepen Jordan's integration into global supply chains, attract specialized industrial investments, and expand production and exports efforts that would support economic growth, create sustainable jobs, and reinforce Jordan's position as a regional manufacturing hub.
He said His Majesty's visit aligns with Jordan's strategic direction to diversify economic partnerships particularly with emerging Asian economies that possess advanced industrial capabilities and large production capacities.
Qadri highlighted Vietnam as one of the key stops on the tour, noting its status as a global powerhouse in apparel manufacturing with extensive supply networks that primarily serve U.S. and European markets.
With recent shifts in tariffs and global trade policies, he said, many Vietnamese companies are seeking alternative or complementary locations to reduce costs and ensure smoother access to markets. Jordan stands out as a competitive destination, benefiting from its free trade agreement with the United States, which grants duty-free access to American markets; simplified rules of origin; diverse industrial cities with ready operational environments; a trained and quickly trainable workforce; and comprehensive investment incentives.
He noted that Jordan's leather and garment sector already has a successful and well-established model, achieving more than $2.3 billion in exports annually, reflecting strong industrial expertise and operational stability.
Qadri concluded that enhanced industrial cooperation between Jordan and Vietnam could pave the way for joint production and operational partnerships whether by relocating parts of production lines, establishing new factories in Jordan's industrial cities, or developing integrated production models serving U.S. and European markets.

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