Turn rivalry in Indo-Pacific region into cooperation, Jokowi urges Asean leaders
[JAKARTA] Indonesian President Joko Widodo called on South-east Asian leaders and their governments to transform rivalries in the Indo-Pacific region into “useful cooperation” that is inclusive.
He made this plea at the opening of the Asean Indo-Pacific Forum (AIPF) in Jakarta, one of many events that are being held in conjunction with the ongoing Asean Summit that Indonesia is hosting this week.
“We should be grateful that in the midst of the weakening global economy, the Asean economy has proven to be resilient and continues to grow beyond global economic growth and other regions,” said the 62-year-old president, who is approaching the tail end of his second and final term in office.
While Asean and its population of 680 million represents a “potential market with promising investment opportunities”, Widodo stressed that the region is “not immune” to various global challenges and escalating geopolitical rivalries, especially the potential for conflict in the Indo-Pacific.
While he did not explicitly mention any rivalry in his speech, this week’s Asean Summit takes place against the backdrop of rising tensions in the South China Sea. Just last week, China expanded its claims in the disputed waters with a new 10-dash line map.
The US and China – the world’s two largest economies – have not seen eye to eye on many issues for the last few years. Both US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are not in Jakarta for the Asean meetings. In their place are Vice-President Kamala Harris and Premier Li Qiang.
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The AIPF – one of at least 20 sideline events being held to coincide with the Asean Summit – was initiated by Indonesia in its capacity as the bloc’s chair this year.
The forum has three main agendas. The first is on green infrastructure and a resilient supply chain, with Widodo noting that the Asean economy will grow steadily through the downstream industry and the development of the electric vehicle ecosystem.
The second agenda is on sustainable and innovative financing, and Widodo told his audience that South-east Asia as a whole requires as much as US$29.4 trillion for the energy transition. To meet this challenge, he called for innovative financing schemes through “profitable and sustainable” partnerships.
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Thirdly, Widodo said the forum will focus on digital transformation and the creative economy. According to latest projections, the size of Asean’s digital economy will likely grow to US$1 trillion by 2030.
The Indonesian president said the adoption of digital innovation needs to be strengthened to support both the creative economy and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
“We appreciate the support and contributions of Asean countries and Asean’s partners, resulting in the collection of 93 collaborative projects worth US$38.2 billion and 73 potential projects worth US$17.8 billion,” he said. “This reflects our commitment to turning words into action to build a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”
Earlier in the day, Widodo spoke at the opening of the three-day Asean Summit and warned against the regional bloc getting dragged into big-power rivalry.
He called on Asean’s leaders to devise a “long-term tactical strategy that is relevant and meets people’s expectations”.
“Asean has agreed to not be a proxy to any powers. Don’t turn our ship into an arena for rivalry that is destructive,” he said. “We, as leaders, have to ensure this ship keeps moving and sailing, and we must become its captain to achieve peace, stability and prosperity together.”
At a separate session during the forum, Indonesian state-owned electricity firm PLN has initiated its journey towards achieving net-zero emissions.
PLN chief executive Darmawan Prasodjo said the company is in the process of preparing to export electricity based on new and renewable power to neighbouring countries such as Malaysia and Singapore.
“Accelerating the development of renewable energy will be a new platform. We aim to explore every potential source of renewable energy, including solar, hydro, and geothermal power,” he said.
“This initiative is based on collaboration and the foundation of Asean’s electricity network. Additionally, there will be additional connections to Sabah (in Malaysia) and Singapore.”
PLN plans to replace at least 13 gigawatts of coal-fired power plants with renewable energy as part of its business strategy until 2030.
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