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Indonesia focuses on economy, trade in bilateral talks amid ASEAN Summit
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President Joko “Jokowi“ Widodo (second right) attends a bilateral meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet (second left) at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Sept. 4, 2023. (Antara/Hafidz Mubarak A)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and his ministers have held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, with a focus on economic and trade relations.
On Monday, Jokowi held a series of bilateral meetings at Merdeka Palace in Central Jakarta, including with the prime ministers of Timor-Leste, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Cook Islands.
At the meeting with Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, Jokowi said he hoped the two countries would conclude their land border negotiations soon. He also encouraged the establishment of a special economic zone near the border to encourage more trade between the two countries.
Xanana, meanwhile, expressed appreciation for Indonesia’s support for Timor-Leste’s bid for full ASEAN membership.
During the President’s meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the two leaders discussed ways to encourage cooperation on the electric vehicle (EV) industry and sustainable fishing. The Vietnamese leader also invited Jokowi to visit Vietnam.
Read also: ASEAN struggles to align policies on critical minerals
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet came to Merdeka Palace to discuss cooperation in the agricultural sector. The agriculture ministers of both countries signed an agreement to encourage cooperation between the countries’ respective state-owned enterprises.
