Maldiana Listiowati, Director General of the National Export Development Department of the Indonesian Ministry of Trade, stated on the 24th that cooperation with China is crucial for ASEAN, and promoting the implementation of the ASEAN Connectivity Master Plan 2025 and a series of development goals cannot be achieved without cooperation with China.
Maldiana came to Nanning to attend the 21st China ASEAN Expo and the China ASEAN Business and Investment Summit. In an interview with reporters, Maldiana said that Indonesia hopes that the ongoing China ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 negotiations will proceed smoothly and be completed as soon as possible.
The China ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 version will help all parties deepen regional cooperation by eliminating non-tariff barriers, unifying industry standards, and improving industrial chain resilience, which is important for both Indonesia and ASEAN, “said Maldiana.
In recent years, economic and trade cooperation between China and ASEAN has continued to develop. China has maintained its position as the largest trading partner of ASEAN for 15 consecutive years, and ASEAN has also become China’s largest trading partner for 4 consecutive years. Maldiana believes that the favorable policies provided by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and the China ASEAN Free Trade Area will continue to promote in-depth cooperation between ASEAN and China in green economy, digital economy, and supply chain integration, and also contribute to ASEAN’s promotion of sustainable development.
When it comes to cooperation between China and Indonesia, Maldiana said that China has great advantages in high-speed rail, new energy vehicles, and sustainable development technologies. Deepening cooperation with China can leverage Indonesia’s own resource advantages and better integrate into the global sustainable development supply chain.
The East Expo not only provides a stage for Indonesia to showcase traditional products such as specialty agricultural products, but also an important platform for promoting new technology cooperation, “said Maldiana.