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Jokowi pushes for swift establishment of RCEP
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Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak (left to right), Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Bruneian Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith pose for a photo at the 30th ASEAN Leaders' Summit on April 29 in Manila, Philippines. (AP/Bullit Marquez)
P
resident Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has called for ASEAN member countries to swiftly complete ongoing negotiations on the Chinese-approved and ASEAN-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
Speaking before 10 leaders of ASEAN countries at the 30th ASEAN Summit on Saturday in Manila, Jokowi said there was a tendency for countries around the world to adopt protectionist policies, such as increased barriers on imported goods, in order to protect their economy.
The president further said that opening ASEAN to more economic cooperation opportunities with other regions and countries was the best solution to fight against protectionism.
The RCEP, if established, would exclude the United States and include its rival China.
"We need to minimize the development gap. We will make use of ASEAN's middle class to drive the ASEAN economy by strengthening small and medium enterprises," Jokowi said.
(Read also: Jokowi encourages ASEAN to take on global challenges)
"We want to see all countries in ASEAN move forward together. We don't want to see any member left behind as ASEAN progresses." (dan)
