REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SINGAPORE -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) asks China to take part in the collaboration to implement the Indo-Pacific cooperation concept. He said at the 21st ASEAN-China summit meeting here on Wednesday that ASEAN and China are facing regional security challenge, not only in the Pacific but also in the Indian Oceans.
ASEAN and China have no choice but to collaborate in facing the challenges, he said, adding "One issue I want to underline is the importance of ASEAN and China to strengthen Indo-Pacific cooperation."
He said ASEAN and its partners have to cooperate closely in facing global uncertainty and challenges.
The Indo-Pacific would not isolate a country in international relations and regional cooperation, he said, adding on the other hand the concept was designed to promote openness of regional cooperation.
"Indo-Pacific cooperation, which is expanded by ASEAN would not isolate a certain country. So far ASEAN has proved to be able to build an open and inclusive regional architecture oriented to cooperation not to rivalry.For more than 5 decades ASEAN has proved itself as a locomotive of positive change in this region," Jokowi said as quoted by Bey Machmudin, the press and media deputy at the presidential secretariat.
ASEAN sees China as a potential partner in promoting Indo-Pacific cooperation. Jokowi said ASEAN and China could promote cooperation in the sector of maritime affairs.
"I hope China could become a partner of ASEAN in cooperation in the maritime sector in the Indo-Pacific region including in maintaining maritime security in the Pacific and Indian Oceans' and to cope with sea pollution and expanding the search and rescue capacity in the sea," he said.
In addition, initiatives of ASEAN and China on connectivity could create synergy and support each other, he said. Regional connectivity in Indonesian vision, which is in line with the ASEAN Connectivity 2025 could be coupled with the initiative of "Belt and Road" of China to strengthen regional connectivity, he said .
Jokowi went on to say that regional peace, security, stability and welfare could be effectively maintained only through ASEAN-Chinese collaboration.
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