Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto conveyed the importance of strengthening intra-ASEAN investment and trade cooperation, especially between Indonesia and Malaysia, as part of efforts to strengthen the region's economic resilience.
In his statement after the bilateral meeting between Indonesia and Malaysia at the Presidential Palace complex, Jakarta, Friday, Airlangga said that ASEAN's main strength lies in domestic economic resilience and regional supply chain integration.
"First, we need to encourage intra-ASEAN trade and intra-ASEAN investment, because the basis of ASEAN's strength is the domestic economy. Second, the regional supply chain," he said in response to the bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Malaysia that needs to be developed.
He also emphasized that strategic countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia must be a priority in strengthening the regional economy.
According to Airlangga, this includes discussing ASEAN's position in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which is increasingly strategic in the context of global cooperation, including with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
Airlangga also revealed plans for a special economic zone synergy between Singapore, Johor (Malaysia), and Riau (Indonesia), which is considered to have great potential to be developed in an integrated manner.
According to him, this cross-border cooperation can encourage the growth of the investment and trade sectors, including export potential in the maritime sector which is currently still being explored.
