全球穆斯林消费者财富不断增长，他们希望购置能反映自身价值观的商品，这推动了“清真经济”的发展（即提供契合伊斯兰教义的商品与服务）。然而，随着该经济领域持续扩张，潜在混乱也随之而来：目前多个国家均拥有各自的认证机构与标识。
马来西亚副总理艾哈迈德·扎希德·哈米迪希望拓展“清真经济”。周三，他在吉隆坡举行的《财富》东盟-海合会经济论坛上发言时透露，东盟已在原则上达成共识，将在十国推行统一清真标识，且将于11月在利雅得就全球清真认证问题展开探讨。
“清真不仅涉及食品饮料，还延伸至医药、银行及保险领域。穆斯林的生活方式本质上就是清真的，我们期望分享这方面的知识。”艾哈迈德·扎希德表示。
在与广州工业投资控股集团有限公司（Guangzhou Industrial Investment Holdings Group）董事长景广军共同参与的一场有关推动对东盟和海合会投资的小组讨论会上，他发表了上述言论。
“清真”指契合伊斯兰教义的商品，当下，对清真商品与服务的需求正持续增长。据总部位于迪拜的全球伊斯兰经济追踪机构Salaam Gateway研究显示，2022年全球穆斯林消费者在清真产品与服务方面的支出高达2.29万亿美元，该机构预测到2027年这一支出金额将升至3.1万亿美元。
艾哈迈德·扎希德担任马来西亚清真产业发展委员会主席。马来西亚始终致力于推动东南亚地区清真经济发展，其最大银行马来亚银行（Maybank）是该地区规模最大的伊斯兰金融服务提供商。（该行提供符合伊斯兰教法的金融业务，例如不收取利息——这在某些伊斯兰教法解读中是被明令禁止的。）
马来西亚和印度尼西亚均为穆斯林人口占多数的国家，而泰国、菲律宾和新加坡等其他东南亚国家也拥有庞大的穆斯林人口。
许多穆斯林人口占多数的国家已从低收入国家跻身中等收入国家之列。随着这些消费者日益富裕，他们期望所购商品能够契合自身的宗教与文化价值观，这推动了本地企业和初创公司的发展——它们在化妆品、时装等领域提供清真替代品。
清真经济之外
除拓展清真经济外，作为现任东盟轮值主席国，马来西亚还在推动东盟、海合会与中国的三方合作。
艾哈迈德·扎希德表示，东盟并不谋求“内向型发展”，在总理安瓦尔·易卜拉欣（Anwar Ibrahim）的领导下，马来西亚和东盟正寻求与海合会及中国构建“智慧伙伴关系”。
他补充称，东盟与中国已合作多年，如果海合会成为新合作伙伴，三方将共同受益。
人工智能有望成为中国、东盟和海合会的潜在合作领域。艾哈迈德·扎希德表示：“各国、各地区都应把握机遇，共享新兴技术。我们看到海合会国家不断发展，它们不仅聚焦国内事务，还将东盟视为投资和分享技术成果的新区域。”
海湾阿拉伯国家合作委员会由沙特阿拉伯、卡塔尔和阿拉伯联合酋长国等六个国家组成。东盟由东南亚10国组成。
译者：中慧言-王芳
Consumers across the Muslim world are growing wealthier–and they want to buy things that reflect their values. That’s encouraged growth in the “halal economy,” goods and services that align with Islamic principles. But with growth comes potential confusion, as several countries currently have their own certification bodies and logos.
Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi wants to expand the “halal economy.” Speaking at the Fortune ASEAN-GCC Economic Forum in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, he revealed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has agreed in-principle to have a common halal logo across the 10 countries in ASEAN, and that there would be a discussion about a global halal certification in Riyadh in November.
“Halal is not only F&B, but pharmaceutical, banking, insurance. The way of life for Muslim is halal and we would like to share this knowledge,” Ahmad Zahid said.
He made the comments on a panel about driving investments into ASEAN and GCC, along with Jing Guangjun, chairman of the Guangzhou Industrial Investment Holdings Group.
Halal refers to goods that are considered permissible under Islam, and demand for halal goods and services is poised to grow. Globally, Muslim consumers spent $2.29 trillion on halal products and services in 2022, according to research from Salaam Gateway, a Dubai-headquartered organization that tracks the global Islamic economy. Salaam Gateway forecasts spending to rise to $3.1 trillion by 2027.
Ahmad Zahid chairs the Halal Industry Development Council of Malaysia. The country has pushed to develop the halal economy in Southeast Asia and its largest bank, Maybank, is the region’s largest provider of Islamic finance. (Shariah-compliant finance, among other things, doesn’t charge interest, which is barred under some interpretations of Islamic law).
Both Malaysia and Indonesia are Muslim-majority countries, and other Southeast Asian nations like Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore have significant Muslim populations.
Many Muslim-majority countries have moved from low-income to middle-income status. These increasingly wealthy consumers now want to see their religious and cultural values reflected in what they buy, encouraging the growth of local companies and startups offering Halal alternatives in goods like cosmetics and fashion.
Beyond the halal economy
Apart from expanding the halal economy, Malaysia, the current ASEAN chair, is also pushing for a partnership that links the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), ASEAN, and China.
Ahmad Zahid said ASEAN is not looking “inward” and both Malaysia and ASEAN, under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, are looking to “move forward with smart partnerships” with the GCC and China.
He added that ASEAN and China have collaborated for years and the two would benefit from adding the GCC as a new partner.
One potential area of collaboration that could benefit China, ASEAN and the GCC could be AI. “Every nation, every region, should grab opportunities where new technology should be shared,” Ahmad Zahid said. “We can see the growth of GCC countries. They’re not only talking and looking internally but they are also looking into ASEAN as a new region to invest and share their technology findings.”
The GCC is made up of six countries that include Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. ASEAN is made up of 10 countries in Southeast Asia.