JAKARTA (Antara) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that ASEAN and South Korea partnership will be achieved in the future if stability in the region is maintained, tension and rivalry are reduced, and strategic trust is strengthened.
Opening the 24th ASEAN-South Korea Summit in Jakarta on Wednesday, the president noted that „the practice of cooperation (should be done) as well.”
Jokowi chaired the ASEAN-South Korea Summit attended by South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol.
This year, Indonesia chairs ASEAN and hosts the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on September 5-7. The summit will be attended by 19 heads of state including ASEAN partner countries and international organizations.
For Indonesia, Jokowi assessed it as a future partnership, with energy transition and digital transformation as key pillars.
The President noted that ASEAN’s 78 percent dependence on fossil fuels needs to be eased, and at the same time, ASEAN’s digital economy is expected to contribute one trillion US dollars to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) within a decade.
Jokowi explained that the energy transition and digital transformation require a large amount of investment and technology transfer.
„Therefore, we need cooperation and partnership to implement it,” Jokowi noted.
The President commended South Korea for supporting the ASEAN-Indo Pacific Forum (AIPF), which he believes has shown true inclusive cooperation in maintaining stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
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