ASEAN Affairs Forum

[skyhigh88]

Canada optimistic about investing in Indonesia, ASEAN: Survey
Liza Yosephine
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta | Fri, September 9 2016 | 03:07 pm

Upbeat — Canadian Ambassador to ASEAN Marie-Louise Hannan (second left), Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) president Wayne Farmer (center), Indonesian Ambassador to Canada Teuku Faizasyah (second right) and former Quebec prime minister Jean Charest (right) pose for a photo after a two-day forum held by the CABC in Jakarta, which ended on Thursday.(JP/Liza Yosephine)

Canadian business players are highly optimistic about the ASEAN market, with 95 percent of respondents to a recent survey expecting to see positive investment opportunities in the future.

The survey, a collaborative initiative undertaken by the Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and its affiliates, saw an increase in optimism levels, which stood at 81 percent when the previous survey was undertaken in 2013.

“Indonesia is the anchor country of the relationship between Canada and ASEAN,” CABC honorary chairman Jean Charest said during a press conference after a two-day forum hosted by the council in Jakarta on Thursday.

He pointed out that Indonesia's large population and economic strength within the region were important factors for development in ASEAN.

CABC president Wayne Farmer said significant interest in investing in Indonesia had been expressed by Canadian businesses during the forum. Among the top industrial sectors deemed attractive for investors were infrastructure, energy, agriculture and environmental management and services, he added.

Farmer highlighted that the forum was a high-level networking and dialogue opportunity; therefore, he could not convey potential investment values.

When asked about challenges faced by Canadian business players when investing in Indonesia, Farmer stressed there was a need for the government and private sector to raise awareness and inform businesses in Canada about the opportunities available in the country.

"More work needs to be done in Canada to identify investment opportunities available for Canadian businesses in Indonesia," Farmer told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of the forum.

The survey revealed that other challenges frequently cited by respondents in terms of conducting business in ASEAN included inconsistent enforcement of laws and regulations, difficulty in obtaining reliable and cost-efficient skilled labor, corruption and preferential treatment of local firms.

Indonesian Ambassador to Canada Teuku Faizasyah said the government was committed to tackling the issues, especially those related to corruption. The establishment of the Corruption Eradication Commission was evidence of Indonesia’s efforts to combat corruption, he said.

Sharing feedback he received during the forum, Faizasyah said fears of corruption sometimes turned out to be unfounded as many business players claimed they had never experienced it first-hand, although widespread rumors of deep-rooted corruption in Indonesia had made them wary. (ebf)

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/...bout-investing-in-indonesia-asean-survey.html

 

[skyhigh88]

Indonesia urges ASEAN countries and US to combat illegal fishing
Saturday, September 10, 2016, 02:00 (GMT + 9)

Illegal fishing vessel. (Photo: Indonesian Navy)

ASEAN member countries and the US have been called to step up measures to fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The call was made by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who raised the issue during the ASEAN-US Summit at the National Convention Center, Vientiane, Laos, attended by US President Barack Obama and ASEAN heads of state and government, The Jakarta Post reported.

In the summit, President Widodo stressed the urgency for all countries to combat IUU fishing, which had not only threatened security and environmental sustainability, but also damaged people’s prosperity.

Official data revealed that Indonesia experienced USD 20 billion in financial losses per year because of this crime.

Nevertheless, under President Widodo Indonesia has taken tough measures against illegal fishing, including sinking 200 fishing boats for illegal operation in its waters, Antara News informed.

Throughout his speech, President Widodo attached important on ASEAN-US cooperation to promote small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which has given positive result in the recent Sunnylands meeting in California.

"Indonesia pushed for the plan to form ASEAN-US Connect, to strengthen ASEAN economic integration and boost development of SMEs through the use of information technology," the Indonesian president pointed out.

Related articles:
- Govt prepares massive illegal foreign boats sinking
- Investments sought to develop Natuna fisheries industry

editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

http://www.fis.com/fis/worldnews/index.asp?l=e

 

[skyhigh88]

Duterte new ASEAN chair
By David Santos and VJ Bacungan
CNN Philippines
Updated 20:20 PM PHT Thu, September 8, 2016

Vientiane, Laos (CNN Philippines) – President Rodrigo Duterte accepted Thursday night the country's chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2017.

In a speech during the closing ceremony of the ASEAN Summit, Duterte said he will “highlight ASEAN as a model of regionalism and a global player with the interest of the people at its core.”

“We will pursue initiative and enhance cooperation with global partners to ensure ASEAN citizens live in peace, stability, security and growth,” he said.

“The Philippines is ready and willing to steer and guide the Association. But crucial to the realization of our goals is the cooperation and support of all ASEAN member-states and our dialogue partners.”

Duterte also unveiled the theme for the 2017 ASEAN Summit in Manila.

“Our theme ‘Partnering for Change, Engaging the World’ captures our resolve to consolidate our community for our peoples with the sense of togetherness and common identity, ready and able to take our rightful place in the global community of nations,” he said.

“The Philippines-ASEAN chairmanship coincides with a historic milestone event. We will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of our Association. It will be an occasion for us to set the tone for the next 50 years."

According to his communication team, Duterte will still have last-minute bilateral meetings with the leaders of New Zealand and Russia before leaving Thursday night for a working visit to Indonesia.

http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2016/09/08/Duterte-new-ASEAN-chair.html

 

[MarveL]

The War That Gave Birth to ASEAN
50 years ago, two of ASEAN’s founding members fought an undeclared war in theKonfrontasi.

An Australian soldier on active duty in Borneo during the Indonesia-Malaysia Konfrontasi.

By Adam Leong Kok Wey
September 09, 2016

The recent successful conduct of the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits at Vientiane, Laos from September 6-8, 2016 bears testament to the legacy of the peaceful settlement and reconciliation of a little known war between two of ASEAN’s founding members. Fifty years ago, the Konfrontasi officially ended when both Indonesia and Malaysia signed a peace agreement on August 11, 1966.

The Konfrontasi was an “undeclared war” fought between Malaysia and Indonesia. The conflict started when Malaysia, consisting of Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore, was formed on September 16, 1963. Indonesia under President Sukarno was vehemently against the formation of Malaysia, which Sukarno saw as a British strategy to contain Indonesia’s geopolitical ambitions in the region (the Philippines was also against the formation of Malaysia but apart from braking off diplomatic relations did not resort to the use of military means). Sukarno launched a “Ganyang Malaysia” or “crush Malaysia” campaign, initially using political, economic, and propaganda means. When these actions failed, he decided to launch military attacks against Malaysia.

Indonesian military forces then conducted cross border raids in Sarawak and Sabah from Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) through the porous mountainous and jungle borders. This was slowly but effectively countered by Malaysian security forces, aided by a strong contingent of British Commonwealth military forces – mostly from the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. The slow results gained from the Indonesian cross border raids in Sabah and Sarawak frustrated Sukarno and prompted him in the middle of 1964 to open a second front in Peninsular Malaysia to divert the attention of the British Commonwealth and Malaysian security forces, and to boost the morale of Indonesian military forces embroiled in the fringes of Sabah and Sarawak. Indonesian commandos launched amphibious raids on the coastal areas of Johor and Singapore, and later para-commandos were also parachuted into Peninsular Malaysia to conduct subversion and sabotage attacks. All of these Indonesian commando operations were foiled and the Indonesians were mostly killed or captured by Malaysian and British Commonwealth security forces. Meanwhile, the Indonesian military forces continued to attempt cross-border attacks in Sabah and Sarawak but were continuously disrupted by track-and-ambush operations conducted by Malaysian and British Commonwealth security forces.

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Indonesia had also used international propaganda to degrade Malaysia. Jakarta initially gained the trust of the Afro-Asian states, at that point an important group of mostly ex-colonial newly independent states which form a large group of members in the United Nations and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Malaysia countered Indonesia’s claims by conducting a whirlwind of diplomatic visits between 1964 and 1965, led by the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Tun Abdul Razak and Singapore’s Chief Minister Lee Kwan Yew. The visits explained Malaysia’s formation and eventually managed to turn the tables on Indonesia and obtain recognition for the new country from almost all of these Afro-Asian states.

The Konfrontasi lasted until 1966, when Indonesia under its new leader Suharto (who had replaced Sukarno at the end of 1965 in the midst of a failed coup), and suffering serious military setbacks and without much international support for its cause, decided to explore diplomatic options in ending the conflict. Both Indonesia and Malaysia held peace talks leading to the final conclusion of the undeclared war with the signing of a peace treaty. During the Konfrontasi, Malaysian and British Commonwealth security forces lost 114 men and the Indonesian military forces lost close to 600 men.

The end of the Konfrontasi led to the formation of ASEAN in 1967. It was initially formed as a regional organization to reconcile relations among three of its five pioneer members namely Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, and serve as an important confidence building measure. ASEAN has since expanded and included all of the Southeast Asian states. ASEAN has served remarkably well to quell regional competition and suspicions among its members, even though most of its members are still entangled in border and territorial disputes with each other. ASEAN has also done well in managing to integrate its regional economy and cooperate in natural disaster response and management. Contemporary security risks from Chinese assertive actions in the South China Sea and overlapping claims among some of the ASEAN members, however, will continue to test ASEAN’s strategic coherence and response in the future.

As for Indonesia and Malaysia, both of these states have rebuilt their relationship and today are close partners in continuing ASEAN’s collaborative spirit, ensuring that the Konfrontasi was not fought in vain 50 years ago.

Dr Adam Leong Kok Wey is a senior lecturer in strategic studies at the National Defence University of Malaysia, and a post-doctoral visiting research fellow at the Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford.

http://thediplomat.com/2016/09/the-war-that-gave-birth-to-asean/

 

[ahojunk]

My Aussie PM invites ASEAN leaders to Oz.

--------
Turnbull invites ASEAN leaders to Australia
Updated: 5:37 am, Thursday, 8 September 2016

The Prime Minister has invited South East Asian leaders to Australia to attend a special summit to tackle regional security concerns - including the South China Sea.

Malcolm Turnbull made the offer at the ASEAN forum in Laos.

It comes as the leaders have urged 'stoical' Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to follow international laws in resolving disputes in the South China Sea.

But leaders of the 10-country Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) at a summit in Vientiane did not press Beijing to comply with an international arbitration court ruling that rejected Beijing's claims to almost the entire sea.

'What was underlined by countries like Singapore and the Philippines was the importance of the rule of law and adhering to international bodies that govern this,' Philippine Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said.

Li 'was stoically listening' as Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte discussed his views on the disputes in the South China Sea, a key shipping lane believed to be rich in marine and mineral resources, Andanar said.

'His face did not have any reaction,' he added.

Li told the ASEAN leaders that the South China Sea issue 'should not represent the main relations' between the regional bloc and Beijing and that ties were moving in a 'positive direction.'

The meeting occurred amid concern that China is preparing for fresh construction work in the South China Sea after 10 ships were spotted near the Scarborough Shoal, including four vessels that look like barges.

As the leaders met, the Philippine Defence Department released new surveillance photos of 10 ships 'to announce that we are aware of any and all movements in the area,' Philippine presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said.

In a bid to ease tensions over the territorial disputes, ASEAN and China adopted a protocol and a communication hotline among foreign ministers to avoid clashes resulting from unplanned encounters.

AAP

- See more at: http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-...eaders-to-australia.html#sthash.pNY4C3OP.dpuf

 

[ahojunk]

13th China-ASEAN Expo opens in Nanning

The opening ceremony of the 13th China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 11, 2016. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)

The opening ceremony of the 13th China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 11, 2016. (Xinhua/Lu Boan)

The opening ceremony of the 13th China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit is held in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 11, 2016. (Xinhua/Lu Boan)

The opening ceremony of the 13th China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit is held in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 11, 2016. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)

Display fruits during the 13th China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 11, 2016. The 13th China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit opened in Nanning on Sunday. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

 

[ahojunk]

China to Spearhead Innovations in Technology in Southeast Asia
Ana Ablaza | Sep 14, 2016 06:17 AM EDT

According to Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli China will help Southeast Asian nations to implement an upgrade through direct investment, projects, technological cooperation, and imports and exports of equipment. Zhang made this announcement during the 13th China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning.

ASEAN is China's third largest trading partner. Bilateral trade between China and ASEAN has jumped in the past 25 years.

The amount of trade has grown to 18.5 percent year-on-year from $7.96 billion to $472.16 billion last year.

"China, with its advantages of capital, technology, engineering and management for infrastructure construction, will help ASEAN countries to elevate their industrialization based on demand in different countries," Zhang said.

Jack Ma, the chief executive of internet giant Alibaba, said that the company intends to expand its operations in the region.

He said, "The development of online business not only promotes more consumption but has helped to create nearly 30 million jobs in China."

Ma added, "I believe that Southeast Asian countries will gain great development opportunities from e-commerce."

Other opportunities such as the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, also provides opportunities for energy cooperation.

Chen Jian, a general manager of Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Co Ltd, CGN's subsidiary, said the company has already established its regional headquarters in Malaysia.

"Currently we have many projects in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and other countries in the field of clean energy," he said.

The manager explained, "It's of mutual benefit, as it not only helps meet the energy demand but it drives up the whole value chain for ASEAN countries in terms of technology and equipment manufacturing through our cooperation."

ASEAN did not single out China in the issue of the South China Sea dispute. The communication from the meeting only said that the ASEAN is "seriously concerned over recent and ongoing developments and took note of the concerns expressed by some ministers on the land reclamations and escalation of activities in the area."

 

[ohmrlobalobayeh]

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/japan-pm-promotes-shinkansen-bullet-train-singapore-142159643.html

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe used a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart on Wednesday to promote Japan's Shinkansen "bullet" train technology for use in a planned high-speed railway linking Singapore and Malaysia.

Abe, serving as top salesman for Shinkansen trains, held talks with Lee Hsien Loong at the state guest house — a venue for top-level hospitality — instead of the usual Prime Minister's Office. Japan is bidding for a planned railway linking Singapore and the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

Abe told Lee that he has high expectations that Singapore will pick the Japanese Shinkansen "as a symbol of cooperation between the two countries."

Lee spoke highly of the Shinkansen's safety record.

"The Shinkansen's long record of safety, reliability and excellence would stand it in good stead in the bid," he said. Singapore wants to choose the best train system through an objective and transparent selection process, he said.

The two leaders also agreed to cooperate in promptly putting the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal into effect. The two countries are part of the 12-nation effort. Japan's government is seeking to have the agreement endorsed by parliament by the end of November.

Lee is in Japan for a four-day visit marking the 50th anniversary of diplomacy between the two countries. To commemorate the occasion, Lee received one of Japan's highest awards on behalf of his father, late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who founded Singapore.

Abe called Lee Kuan Yew "a giant in modern Asia," and handed his son the "Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers," issued posthumously for his contribution to the peace and prosperity in Singapore and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region.

___

Associated Press video journalist Emily Wang contributed to this report.

I am f**king ashamed of this photo

 

[bluesky]

Top diplomats to visit troubled Rakhine state in Myanmar

• Published at 07:31 PM November 01, 2016

The ruins of a market which was set on fire are seen at a Rohingya village outside Maugndaw in Rakhine state, Myanmar October 27, 2016 REUTERS

Allegations that Myanmar soldiers are killing, raping and torturing villagers in Rakhine
Senior diplomats in Myanmar are set to depart on Wednesday for troubled northern Rakhine State, which has been closed to aid workers and observers for more than three weeks since deadly attacks on police border posts, sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

The government of Aung San Suu Kyi has invited representatives of the United States, China, Britain and the European Union, and the top United Nations representative in the country, to visit the area over two days.

View image on Twitter

Pressure over abuses
Allegations that Myanmar soldiers are killing, raping and torturing villagers in Rakhine, a restive region that is home to the persecuted Muslim Rohingya, must be independently investigated, rights groups said.

Northern Rakhine has been under a military lockdown since an attack on border guards three weeks ago left nine policeman dead.

The government has blamed the raids on Rohingya militants and a search for the culprits has seen more than 30 people killed and dozens arrested, according to official reports.

On Friday Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch joined calls for an impartial investigation into the allegations, which the UN has called “alarming and unacceptable”.

View image on Twitter

Rakhine has sizzled with tension ever since waves of communal violence in 2012 killed more than 100 and pushed tens of thousands of people, mostly Rohingya, into destitute displacement camps.

Many in Buddhist-majority Myanmar insist the Rohingya are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and viscerally oppose any moves to grant them citizenship.

The recent upsurge in violence deepens and complicates a conflict that already posed a top challenge to a new civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, who has disappointed rights groups by not coming out in stronger support of the Rohingya.

View image on Twitter

 

[bluesky]

04 Nov 2016, 16:42:46

Myanmar not trying to hide anything in Rakhine: Suu Kyi


Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi said on Friday investigations were underway into the situation in Rakhine State, where many members of a Muslim minority live and where human rights workers say conflict has led to abuse of civilians by the military, reports Reuters.

Suu Kyi, speaking on a visit to Tokyo, told a news conference the government was trying to get to the root of the matter, and would not accuse anyone until all the evidence was in, at which point any action would be taken in accordance with due legal process.

"We have been very careful not to blame anybody in particular unless we have complete evidence as to who has been responsible for what," she said, noting that Muslims had been killed as well as police officers and the government had not "tried to hide any of this".

Nobel Peace Prize winner Suu Kyi is in Japan on a five-day visit to court investment and aid, as an upsurge in violence against the persecuted Muslim minority Rohingya at home poses the worst crisis of her six months in power.

She has faced mounting criticism abroad for her government's handling of the crisis in Rakhine State, where soldiers are accused of raping and killing civilians and where aid workers were refused access until the government on Thursday agreed to allow such work to resume.

The latest bout of violence began with attacks on Oct. 9 on three police posts by insurgents allegedly inspired by Islamist militants in which nine policemen were killed.

It is the most serious unrest to hit the state on Myanmar's western border with Bangladesh since hundreds of people were killed in communal clashes in 2012.

"We are trying to get to the root of the matter," Suu Kyi told the news conference, adding everybody had to be considered innocent until proven guilty.

"We will be going through the due process and all the incidents that have taken place ... will be examined and it will be done in accordance with our laws and regulations," she said.

"We will find out what really happened and then action will be taken accordingly."

Tension between Myanmar's ethnic minorities and the majority Burman-dominated central government has prompted many groups to take up arms to fight for greater autonomy since shortly after the country's independence in 1948.

Earlier, Suu Kyi told Japanese business executives that Myanmar needed peace to carry out sustainable development.

The Rakhine military operation has sharpened the tension between Suu Kyi's six-month-old civilian administration and the army, which ruled the country for decades and retains key powers, including control of ministries responsible for security.

Myanmar's army-drafted constitution puts the military firmly in control of security matters but nevertheless diplomats and aid workers say privately they are dismayed at Suu Kyi's lack of deeper involvement in the handling of the crisis.

 

[katarabhumi]

Sunday, 04 December, 2016 | 17:52 WIB
SE Asian Youngsters Lead Largest Day of Youth Service in ASEAN

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Members of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) have marked the 3rd anniversary of YSEALI on December 3 by organizing the largest day of youth-led community projects across ASEAN since the program’s launch. In honor of this anniversary, the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta held events across Indonesia to highlight the impact YSEALI has on local communities.

Throughout the 10 ASEAN countries, hundreds of YSEALI members have implemented community-oriented activities for the past three years. This YSEALI YOUnified celebration encouraged young people to be civically engaged and demonstrated the power of youth to develop solutions to pressing local, national and regional issues. At the U.S. Embassy’s premiere cultural center, @america, in Jakarta, the Embassy held a YSEALI talk show and fair to draw attention to more than 18 projects taking place around Indonesia that range from environmental protection, to youth mentoring, to promoting literacy.

During his opening remarks at the @america event, incoming U.S. Ambassador Joseph R. Donovan Jr. highlighted the broad participation in the YSEALI program noting the “nearly 18,000 members in Indonesia, and now 891 exchange alumni and 15,000 alumni from regional workshops.” He also praised the “innovation and dedication” of YSEALI members saying “the commit to your projects will truly make you the next leaders in Indonesia and ASEAN.”

About YSEALI

Launched in 2013, the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) is the U.S. government’s signature program to strengthen partnerships with emerging leaders in Southeast Asia; to expand their skills as effective civic, economic and non-governmental leaders in the region; and to encourage them to work together across borders to solve regional challenges.

YSEALI includes all ASEAN member countries (Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and is open to young people ages 18-35. Responding to priorities from youth in the ASEAN region, YSEALI programs focus on four themes:

-Economic development and entrepreneurship

-Environmental protection

-Education

-Civic engagement

YSEALI opportunities include professional and academic exchanges to the United States, regional workshops for networking and skills development, social media engagement, and a grant competition to support emerging leaders’ efforts to address regional issues.

http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2016/1...rs-Lead-Largest-Day-of-Youth-Service-in-ASEAN

 

[nufix]

Woow ...the Indonesia Embassy still do nothing to their people in Malaysia ..

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nati...ke-up-nearly-20-of-outstanding-medical-bills/

Lol, the question is, what are you going to do about it? Nothing? Yeah, everyone walks on you and nothing you can do while those people got treated one way or another lol

 

[TaiShang]

China-ASEAN trade to hit $1t by 2020
By Zheng Yiran | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2017-05-16


The total trade volume of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with China is projected to increase to $1 trillion by 2020, said AKP Mochtan, deputy secretary-general of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs, at a seminar Monday.

The seminar on ASEAN Community Building and China-ASEAN Relations, aimed at boosting Sino-ASEAN relations, took place during the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of ASEAN. The forum, hosted by the Mission of the People's Republic of China to ASEAN, Beijing Review and the Pangoal Institution, is to strengthen collaboration and cooperation between China and ASEAN through the media, promote the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, and deepen China-ASEAN relations.

"The cooperation agreements and mechanisms formed between China and ASEAN in various areas in recent years have brought new opportunities for Sino-ASEAN relations. The visions of ASEAN correspond to China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, leading to common prosperity," said Mochtan.

As the sixth-largest economy in the world, ASEAN is now finalizing regional comprehensive economy partnerships with six free trade area counterparts, China, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India. This would add up to over half of the world's population, and in turn bring huge opportunities, he added.

Zhao Xiyuan, secretary-general of China Public Diplomacy Association, said that under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, there are boundless opportunities for China and ASEAN to tap into. "One of the flagship projects is the high-speed railway between Jakarta and Bandung, which is set to be built by Indonesian and Chinese companies."

"ASEAN's advantageous location and long trade ties with China have made it important for the Belt and Road Initiative. China will share opportunities and tackle challenges together with ASEAN to achieve common development and prosperity and become a community with a common destiny, sharing benefits and troubles alike," said Li Yafang, president of Beijing Review.

***

Let's do more trade and live better lives. It has been far too long that global wealth has concentrated in a cultural region that represents a fraction of the global population.

 

[slempanda]

I am green hand

 

[RISING SUN]

Nations agree to boost fight against IS in Southeast Asia
A six-nation summit co-hosted by Indonesia and Australia agreed Saturday to set up a forum to strengthen cooperation between intelligence services to counter extremist threats in Southeast Asia.

Security ministers and officials from Indonesia, Australia, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and New Zealand held a one-day meeting in Manado, the capital of Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province, focusing on the Islamic State group attack on the southern Philippine city of Marawi.

Indonesia’s top security minister, Wiranto, told a news conference that the six countries agreed to establish the Foreign Terrorist Fighters Forum to strengthen information sharing and cooperation between law enforcement and intelligence services.

The Marawi occupation has raised fears that the Islamic State group’s violent ideology has taken root in the Philippines’ restive south and could destabilize neighboring countries. More than 600 people have been killed in the conflict, including foreign fighters, and the city has been devastated by government air strikes against the militants. Indonesia and Malaysia also face the threat of citizens who went to Syria and Iraq to fight with IS returning home and carrying out attacks.
“We cannot keep silent because terrorism has become a real threat to humanity,” said Wiranto, who uses one name. “Not a single country is free from the threat of terrorism and therefore this threat must be faced together.”

He said immigration procedures should also be strengthened to prevent militants from traveling in the region.

Australian Attorney General George Brandis said in his opening speech that the conflict in Marawi “reminds us in the most immediate possible way of the urgency and the proximity of the threat that is faced by all of us.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...33c52b2f014_story.html?utm_term=.853bf9638ae2