President Jokowi Pushes ASEAN Plus Three Leaders to Unite in Facing Crisis
President Jokowi and leaders of ASEAN, China, Japan, and South Korea at the 25th APT Summit at Sokha Hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Saturday (11/12). (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/Kris)
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo Saturday (11/12) attended the 25th ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit at Sokha Hotel in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh.
In the Summit attended by the leaders of the ASEAN, the People’s Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, President Jokowi asked them to join hands to face the current crisis.
“The APT was what saved us from the 2008 global financial crisis. Solidarity and cooperation made the regional economy survive. Now, we are tested with a greater global crisis. I truly believe that with the same spirit, we can face the current crisis,” he said.
According to President Jokowi, the APT must focus on at least three issues, namely food crisis, economic recession, and regional security, stability, and peace.
“First, we must avoid food crisis, strengthen regional food security mechanism, and increase emergency rice supply of the APT,” he said, adding that sustainable rice production technology is needed and the production capacity must be integrated with the logistics system of the APT members in order to secure supply chain and stabilize rice prices.
“Second, regional economic recession must be avoided and finance must be stabilized. There must be a synergy between the APT financial devices, especially the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation. When there is a threat of financial crisis, this synergy will enable us to obtain early warning and liquidity support,” he said.
Furthermore, the President stressed the importance of strengthening national financial infrastructure through strong coordination between financial agencies and the central bank, an increase in domestic resource mobilization, and careful inflation control.
“Third, regional stability, security, and peace are needed. Competition must be managed well so that it does not turn into a conflict and international law must always be respected,” he said while expressing optimism that if the APT can take all those measures, the region will continue to be the epicentrum of growth. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/AIT) (DH/MUR)
