Minister Of Trade Zulhas: Britain Supports 2 Indonesian Economic Priorities

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

JAKARTA - Indonesian Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan said Britain is providing support for two priorities for the Indonesian economy (PED) on Project-Based Industry Initiatives in ASEAN.

"The UK has provided its support for two Indonesian PEDs through the preparation of studies. First, the ASEAN Industrial Project-Based Initiatives. Second, the Roadmap of ASEAN Harmonized Standard for Supporting the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals," said Zulhas, the Minister of Trade's nickname, in Semarang, Central Java, Sunday, regarding the ASEAN-UK Forum on Regional Industrial Integration, quoted from Antara, Sunday, August 20.

The ASEAN-UK Forum on Regional Industry Integration was held on the sidelines of the 55th ASEAN Economics Minister Meeting (ASEAN Economy Ministers/AEM).

In the forum, apart from discussing Indonesian PEDs, said Zulhas, ASEAN's economic ministers and British Minister of International Trade Nigel MP Huddleston also discussed key sectoral opportunities in ASEAN regional industrial projects, the challenges of project implementation, to the necessary facilitation support for related projects.

According to Zulhas, industrial cooperation can also be considered as a strategy to promote economic cooperation at the regional level. This is because the industrial sector is very important for most ASEAN member countries.

"The industrial sector is very important for most ASEAN member countries. ASEAN and UK business actors can take advantage of this forum to discuss various possibilities of ASEAN industrial-based cooperation," he said.

Furthermore, Zulhas explained that the regional and global economic landscape has changed dramatically in recent decades. An example of the case is the COVID-19 pandemic which disrupts global economic activities including the manufacturing industry.

Zulhasi hopes that the ASEAN-UK Forum on Regional Industry Integration can increase cooperation between the ASEAN and UK industries as well as accelerate investment growth in ASEAN.

The 55th AEM Meeting and Other Related Meetings on August 17-22 2023 will be held in Semarang, where the results of the meeting will be brought to the ASEAN Summit attended by heads of state in Jakarta, September 2023.

Starting with a meeting to prepare senior economic officials for two days on Thursday and Friday, August 17-18, 2023, the 55th AEM series was followed by a series of ASEAN Economic Ministerial Meetings for four days from Saturday to Tuesday, August 19-22 2023.