On 28 February 2023, H.E. Secretary General Shi Zhongjun of the ASEAN-China Centre met respectively with H.E. Director-General Sidharto R. Suryodipuro for ASEAN Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia and H.E. Permanent Representative M.I. Derry Aman of Indonesia to ASEAN in Jakarta.
Secretary General Shi expressed thanks to the Indonesian government for the long-term and strong support to the ACC. He said that the ACC has always been committed to promoting mutual understanding and pragmatic cooperation between ASEAN countries and China, and dedicated to upholding multilateralism and open regionalism. The ACC stands ready to support Indonesia in fulfilling its rotating chairmanship and striving to build ASEAN as the epicentrum of growth. The ACC looks forward to working with Indonesia and other ASEAN countries to implement the important consensus between the Chinese and ASEAN leaders, boost regional recovery in post-pandemic era, enhance people-to-people exchanges and mutual learning, and inject fresh vitality into ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Director General Suryodipuro welcomed Secretary-General Shi's visit to Indonesia and said that Indonesia, as the rotating chair of ASEAN this year, pays special attention to elevating pragmatic cooperation between ASEAN and China. The Indonesian MFA will continue to support the ACC’s undertakings and looks forward to leveraging the ACC’s role as a platform to promote more cooperation between ASEAN and China in such areas as food security, public health, clean energy, digital transformation, financial stability and youth exchanges.
Permanent Representative Aman said that Indonesia, as the rotating chair of ASEAN, has designated “ASEAN Matters: the Epicentrum of Growth” as the annual theme. Indonesia hopes to work with China and other dialogue partners to continuously promote the building of ASEAN community, synergize the development strategies of all partners, promote global recovery in post-pandemic era, and effectively improve people’s well-being. The Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) to ASEAN attaches great importance to and will continue to actively support the ACC’s future endeavor, so as to make joint contribution to the steady progress of ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.