VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian government hopes that the partnership between ASEAN and the United States can strengthen peace and prosperity in the region.

This was conveyed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi in a press statement on the third day of the 37th ASEAN Summit series, Saturday at the Presidential Palace, Bogor, West Java.

President Joko Widodo on his third day in the series of 37 ASEAN Summits, attended virtually a number of ASEAN Summit with partner countries.

The summit was held in Vietnam and was attended by President Jokowi via a video conference from the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java.

On the third day of the ASEAN Summit, President Joko Widodo attended the 8th ASEAN-United States Summit, the ASEAN-New Zealand Summit, and the 2nd ASEAN-Australia Summit.

In addition, President Joko Widodo also attended the 23rd ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit and the 15th East Asia Summit.

In the 8th ASEAN-United States Summit meeting, Indonesia hopes that the friendship between ASEAN and the United States will remain strong in the future.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, who was present to represent President Joko Widodo at the meeting, said that the United States is one of ASEAN's strategic partners in the Region. The partnership between the two parties has existed for more than four decades which has evolved into cooperation in various strategic areas.

"In the future, Indonesia still hopes that the United States will become an important and strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific region, including in the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific," Retno said.

"This partnership is expected to be a positive force to create regional peace, stability, and prosperity," she added.

In the past four years, in the economic and development sector, the United States has continued to be ASEAN's second-largest trade and investment partner.

According to Retno Marsudi, the trading volume of the two parties increased by 39 percent from US $ 211.8 billion to US $ 294.6 billion.

"US investment has also increased 110 percent in the region, from US $ 11.65 billion to US $ 24.5 billion," she said.

In the energy sector, Retno said, ASEAN together with the United States had also prepared a long-term cooperation plan for 2021-2025.

This is coupled with cooperation in the digital economy sector through capacity building programs of 4,000 MSMEs that have been carried out in this region.

In the last 10 months, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Retno Marsudi said the partnership between ASEAN and the United States in the health sector has also strengthened.

At the meeting, the United States was represented by National Security Advisor Robert C. O'Brien who was present to represent President Donald Trump. (VOI)