ASEAN-China Trade Value Reaches Rp13.8 Quadrillion, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs: Our Task is to Turn it into Regional Resilience
JAKARTA - The scale of ASEAN's partnership with China, which is followed by a trade value of US$774 billion (Rp13,831,152,000,000,000) in 2024, must be changed into regional resilience that provides benefits.
Speaking at the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference (PMC) with China attended by Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Manila, Wednesday, Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono said that the economic partnership of the two parties should be directed to strengthen resilience and maintain regional stability to face various shocks.
The value of ASEAN trade with the Bamboo Curtain in 2024 reached 772.4 billion US dollars or around Rp13,838,318,400,000,000.
"This is not just a number. Behind it there are jobs, markets, supply chains, and people's welfare. Our task now is to change the scale of this partnership into regional resilience," said Foreign Minister Sugiono, launching the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thursday (23/7).
Furthermore, it is said, Indonesia encourages the optimization of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) 3.0 to strengthen economic integration that is increasingly practical, inclusive, and ready to face future challenges.
"The strength of the region's economy is not only measured by the size of the trade value, but also by the extent to which the benefits reach people and businesses outside the growth centers," said Foreign Minister Sugiono.
It is known that the ASEAN-China Partnership Dialogue this year enters its 35th year, while the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership this year is five years old.
This meeting also produced the ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Joint Statement on Addressing the Regional Impacts of Developments in the Middle East and Strengthening Regional Energy Cooperation, which highlights a joint response to the impact of developments in the Middle East as well as strengthening regional resilience and energy cooperation.