Invites To Develop Electric Vehicle Ecosystem In Southeast Asian, Foreign Minister Retno: ASEAN And Japan Both Benefited

ASEAN-Japan meeting. (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Betweens/Pool)

JAKARTA - Indonesia invites Japan to work together to develop an electric vehicle ecosystem in ASEAN, said Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi at the ASEAN-Japan Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) meeting in Jakarta, Thursday.

Foreign Minister Retno said there are two areas of cooperation that need to be encouraged to create an Indo-Pacific as a growth center. First, continued Foreign Minister Retno, the development of the electric vehicle ecosystem (EV) in ASEAN countries.

"We have discussed this many times. Now is the time to make this plan a reality. ASEAN and Japan will both benefit from this collaboration," said Foreign Minister Retno in a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thursday, July 13.

The country of the Rising Sun is known to be in the transition period to 100 percent of electric vehicles by 2035, as well as wanting to be a leader in the electric vehicle industry.

ASEAN, said Foreign Minister Retno, is the right partner for Japan to develop electric vehicle batteries

"Japan can support this collaboration, including through the Green Innovation Fund. The EV ecosystem will not only bring prosperity in the region, but also bring us one step closer to carbon-free society," explained Foreign Minister Retno.

The next collaboration that ASEAN-Japan needs to encourage is in terms of maintaining regional peace and stability. Indonesia believes, Japan also wants a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

"We want an inclusive regional architecture, where all countries can feel safe. Only then can we focus on making our area a growth center," explained Foreign Minister Retno.

The 50th anniversary of this year's ASEAN-Japan relationship is a momentum to strengthen cooperation. In the economic sector, the meeting welcomed the ASEAN Japan Economic Co-Creation Vision to encourage various collaborations in the digital economy, innovative financing for infrastructure, a green economy to support sustainable development, support for MSMEs and strengthening global supply chains.

The meeting also raised the importance of identifying other strategic cooperation, including in the fields of energy transition, technology science, cooperation in culture and tourism and youth.

In the health sector, meetings encourage the implementation of the establishment of the ASEAN Public Health and Infectious Diseases Emergency Center. Japan is ready to support more resilient ASEAN, including through the AZEC (Asia Zero Emission Community) initiative and quality infrastructure development.

Meanwhile, in the security sector, the meeting underlined the importance of maintaining stability and peace in the region through respect for international law and the principles of the UN Charter. It is emphasized the importance of cooperation in overcoming non-traditional security issues, such as cybersecurity.

Meanwhile, Japan, which in this meeting was represented by Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, is committed to continuing to support ASEAN centrality, including through the implementation of ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).

Japan on this occasion also conveyed its USD 100 million funding commitment to support AOIP's implementation.

No less important, this meeting also agreed to increase the ASEAN-Japan partnership, from a Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to be announced at the 26th ASEAN-Japan Summit in Jakarta in September. In addition, Foreign Minister Hayashi also invited ASEAN leaders to attend the ASEAN's "Commorative Summit" in Tokyo on December 16-18, 2023, which will adopt a Japanese ASEAN Future Vision document.