Trust as Foundation of ASEAN-PRC Cooperation

PRESS RELEASE

COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA TEAM OF THE 43^RD ASEAN SUMMIT 2023

No.95/SP/TKM-ASEAN2023/ENG/9/2023

Jakarta, 6 September 2023 – Mutual trust enables Southeast Asian countries to achieve concrete and mutually beneficial cooperation. This trust must be built and maintained by all parties. One form of this mutual trust is respecting international law.

This was emphasized by the President of Indonesia Joko “Jokowi” Widodo during the opening of the 26^th ASEAN-China Summit at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) in Jakarta on Wednesday, 6 September 2023.

At the conference attended by Prime Minister Li Qiang, President Jokowi affirmed that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is a strategic dialogue partner of ASEAN. The year 2023 marks the 20^th year of ASEAN's relations with China, which have been formalized in theTreaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC).

"We need to interpret all of this by realizing concrete cooperation that is mutually beneficial. This concrete cooperation will only be possible when we have trust in one another, which of course needs to be built and maintained by all parties," President Jokowi stated.

Furthermore, President Jokowi emphasized that mutual trust will be a positive force for ASEAN and China in maintaining and establishing regional stability and peace.

President Jokowi chaired the entire series of meetings on the second day of the 43^rd ASEAN Summit held at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC).

President Jokowi chaired the 26^th ASEAN-China Summit which was attended by ASEAN leaders and Li Qiang. Later, President Jokowi will also chair the 24^th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit, which will be attended by the Republic of Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol, and the 26^th ASEAN-Japan Summit, with the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

In the afternoon, President Joko Widodo, along with ASEAN leaders, will attend the 26^th ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit. The meeting will commence in Cenderawasih 3 Hall and will be attended by leaders from the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, and Japan.

President Jokowi is then scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the President of Bangladesh Mohammed Shahabuddin in the JCC’s Kakatua Room. After that, he will conduct a bilateral meeting with the Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris. Next, President Jokowi and the leaders of ASEAN countries will attend the 11^th ASEAN-US Summit in Cendrawasih 3 Hall at JCC.

Next, the ASEAN-Canada Summit will be held, which will be attended by ASEAN leaders and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Later in the evening, President Jokowi and First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo, along with other heads of state and their spouse will attend a gala dinner. (Toro/Alex/TR)

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For more information, please contact:

Director General of Public Information and Communications of the Ministry of Communications and Informatics – Usman Kansong (0816785320).

Get more information at http://asean2023.id, https://infopublik.id/kategori/asean-2023, and https://indonesia.go.id/kategori/ragam-asean-2023

President Joko Widodo (sixth from the left) is photographed with several heads of state (from left), President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong, Head of Delegation of The Kingdom of Thailand Sarun Charoensuwan, Prime Minister of Vietnam Pham Minh Chinh, Premier of the People's Republic of China Li Qiang, Prime Minister of Laos Sonexay Siphandone, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and Prime Minister of Timor-Leste Xanana Gusmao, before the 26th ASEAN-China Summit, Wednesday (6/9/2023). ANTARA FOTO/Media Center KTT ASEAN 2023/Dwi Prasetya/foc.