But he said the pull of regional groupings is "working to enhance East Asian competitiveness where political and economic reasons compel countries to get together in regional blocks."
Yuchengco, the Philippines’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations, was guest lecturer before the graduate school of business in Tuscaloosa.
Holder of a Distinguished Honorary Professorship from the same university, Yuchengco delivered his lecture on "Asian Business Competitiveness" upon the invitation Dr. John S. Bickley, Emeritus Professor of Insurance and founder of the International Insurance Society (IIS) based in Tuscaloosa.
Dr. David L. Funk Ph.D, director of the MBA program, introduced the ambassador, citing his postings in China and Japan and his special contributions to the business school.
Dr. Robert McLeod, Ph.D, a professor of finance, cited Yuchengco for his educational concerns and for his "outstanding record in international relations spanning not just diplomatic relations but business ties as well."
In his lecture, Yuchengco also cited his country’s key strengths "which lie in the quality of its skilled work people and the easy availability of highly educated senior managers, qualified engineers, and young people with informaton-and-computer technology expertise."
Yuchengco is the only Filipino and the first Asian to receive the ISS Founders Gold Medal Award of Excellence. He is also one of the very few Asians to be elected to the international Insurance Hall of Fame.
He is currently working for the election of the Philippines to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the two-year term of 2004-2005. The election will be held in November 2003 at the UN headquarters in New York City.