President Jokowi Invites ASEAN Plus Three Leaders To Come To A Global Crisis Threat

JAKARTA - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) invites the leaders of ASEAN Plus Three (APT) countries to unite in their efforts to face various current threatening global crises.

According to Jokowi, the ASEAN-member forum and three partner countries, namely China, Japan, and South Korea, have experience in successfully facing the threat of a global financial crisis in 2008.

Therefore, at the 25th ASEAN Plus Three Summit at Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Saturday, Jokowi invited the leaders of the forum country to dig back the same spirit.

"APT is what saved us from the 2008 global financial crisis. Solidarity and cooperation that made the regional economy able to survive. Now we are again tested with a more devastating global crisis. I firmly believe in the same spirit we are able to face the current crisis," said Jokowi, quoted from Antara, Saturday 12 November.

President Jokowi explained that there are at least three issues that should be the focus of APT, namely the food crisis, economic recession, as well as regional stability, security, and peace.

"First, the food crisis must be avoided, the regional food security mechanism must be strengthened, and the APT emergency rice reserves must be increased," he said.

Jokowi stated that sustainable rice production technology is absolutely necessary and production capacity must also be integrated with the logistics system of APT members to secure supply chains and stabilize rice prices.

"Secondly, the regional economic recession must be avoided and financial stabilization must be carried out. Synergy of various APT financial devices must be carried out, especially thekobus Mai Initiative Multilateralization. When there is a threat of financial crisis, this synergy allows us to get early warning and liquidity support," he said.

Furthermore, Jokowi also emphasized the importance of strengthening national financial infrastructure through close coordination between financial institutions and central banks, increasing domestic resource resources mobilization, and being careful in maintaining inflation.

"Third, stability, security and regional peace are absolutely necessary. Competition must be managed properly so that it does not turn into conflict, and international law must always be respected," said Jokowi.

President Jokowi believes that if APT is able to do all these things, the area will continue to be the epicenter of growth.

The 25th Asean Plus Three Summit was attended by ASEAN leaders, RRT Prime Minister Li Keqiang, Korean Republican President Yoon Seok-yeol, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Meanwhile, he was also present to accompany President Jokowi, namely Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, and Minister of State Secretary Pratikno.