Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, has emphasized that ASEAN is ready to collaborate with all partners in the Indo-Pacific region by upholding the principle of equality.
He made the statement at the closing of the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum (AIPF) here on Wednesday. "Developing countries are not second-class countries. They also have the right to survive," he said.
The minister further noted that maintaining sovereignty and mutually beneficial ties, as well as maintaining peace and stability, while achieving a profitable economy and social justice, will be essential cooperation tasks in the region.
He said he hoped that the forum had provided greater understanding about ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific and that the attendees would take good memories to their home countries.
The AIPF, which was held on September 5 and 6, 2023, was part of the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). The forum was a flagship event organized by Indonesia as part of its ASEAN chairmanship in 2023.
It served as a platform for the public and the private sector to share, engage, and collaborate inclusively in unlocking the potential of the ASEAN and Indo-Pacific regions and driving their economic growth.
The AIPF was attended by around 2 thousand participants from 51 countries. It was expected to open up further opportunities and build more robust connectivity between ASEAN and Indo-Pacific countries.
The Indo-Pacific accounts for more than 60 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP) and around half of global trade. It also functions as an essential economic center that encourages trade, investment and innovation.
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Meanwhile, located at the heart of the Indo-Pacific, ASEAN is ready to become the hub of economic activities in the coming decades, in line with the theme of Indonesia's 2023 ASEAN chairmanship, "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth".