This may well make it more difficult for leaders to push more rapid reduction of trade barriers or change investment rules. Indonesia, hardest hit by the crisis, offers wholesale and retail trade and manufacturing up to 100 percent foreign equity ownership, along with full foreign ownership of listed banks. Burma will extend its minimum three-year corporate exemption to all investment projects. The Philippines said it is in the process of opening retail trade and distribution to foreign equity, a touchy measure in a country where retail trade has historically been shielded from foreign participation. Thailand says it will allow 100 percent foreign equity ownership for manufacturing investments, regardless of locations.
Some differences are due to different political systems, others due to different economic beliefs.