Indonesian President Joko Widodo invited China, Japan, and South Korea to cooperate with ASEAN in developing its electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem.
During the opening of the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit on September 6, Widodo said that new cooperation opportunities are needed to support green economic development as a future priority.
The APT Summit is part of the agenda of the 43rd ASEAN Summit, which is taking place from September 5 to 7 in Jakarta. The summit is being attended by 19 state leaders, including those diplomatic countries, as well as representatives of international organizations.
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"This is important for the progress and growth of the region," Widodo said at the summit attended by Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
However, the goal would be disrupted if regional peace and stability are not maintained, he noted.
"Therefore, I invite all of us to share the same feelings, to have the same awareness, to work together to maintain peace and stability in the region by continuing to respect international law," Widodo emphasized.
In response to Widodo's invitation, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said that now is the right time to establish a new framework for future cooperation between ASEAN and its three partners.
He said that APT must continue its vision since its formation in 1997 to respond to the global financial crisis and remainsrelevant for addressing current global challenges characterized by geopolitical competition, open conflict, and the climate crisis.
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Just the day before the APT summit, Chief of the Presidential Staff Moeldoko stated that the country’s Foreign Affairs Ministry is finalizing a mechanism for cooperation in the development of an EV ecosystem in the Southeast Asian region.
According to Moeldoko, the government is currently deliberating on whether the cooperation will encompass the partnerships covering both the upstream and downstream sectors or solely the upstream sector.
In the upstream sector, ASEAN nations can cooperate in setting up infrastructure for EV owners in the region where they can recharge EV batteries, he said.
While in the downstream sector, member countries can coordinate to ensure that their resources can support the development of the EV battery industry in Southeast Asia.
