Trade Minister Zulhas Supports Kadin In ASEAN BAC 2023 Chairmanship

Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of Trade)

JAKARTA - Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan expressed his support for the General Chair of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) M. Arsjad Rasjid in the Chairship of the ASEAN-Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) this year.

"I support ASEAN-BAC Indonesia in carrying out priority programs and their derivatives during this year's chairmanship period. I also strongly support the implementation of the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2023 and the Roundtable Dialogue Series in September 2023," Zulkifli said in a written statement in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Thursday, June 22.

Zulkifli also welcomed ASEAN-BAC's efforts to intensify consultations and advocacy with the ASEAN government in order to encourage the creation of stronger lines of cooperation and collaboration between the government and the private sector.

Furthermore, Zulkifli asked Indonesia for ASEAN-BAC support during this year's ASEAN Chairmanship, especially regarding the seven economic priority achievements under the authority of the Ministry of Trade.

The seven economic priorities consist of the Framework for Jasa Facilitation in ASEAN; The signing of the 2nd Amendment Protocol for the Approval of the Establishment of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area; Establishment of the Regional Comprehensive Economics Ministry Approval Unit (RCEP) at the ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta; Project-Based ASEAN Industry Development and Full Implementation of Electronic D Form Origin Certificates through ASEAN Single Window.

In addition, the Statement of ASEAN Leaders to Develop the ASEAN Digital Economic Approval Framework (DEFA); and the ASEAN Standard Harmonization Roadmap to Support Sustainable Development Goals.

"I also hope for ASEAN-BAC support to be able to provide input and support for various obstacles to market access faced by business actors and find joint solutions in handling them," said Zulkifli.

In addition, the Minister of Trade asked for ASEAN-BAC support regarding the resolution of the four priority negotiations, namely the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), China FTA ASEAN (ACFTA) upgrading, the completion of the ASEAN Canada FTA (ACAFTA) negotiations, and the implementation of RCEP.

Zulkifli said, after the AEM-ABAC consultation meeting, Indonesia would launch the "New ASEAN Tariff Finder" platform which could provide access to information to business actors regarding tariffs, non-rates, Rules of Origin (ROO) rules, export-import regulations in various internal ASEAN commitments, and ASEAN with partner countries.

The ASEAN-BAC meeting itself is scheduled to take place in September 2023 on the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN Summit.