Interview: Close ties with China help boost ASEAN economic development, says Indonesian entrepreneur

General Chairman of the Indonesian Chinese Entrepreneur Association Abdul Alek Soelystio receives an interview with Xinhua in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sept. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

JAKARTA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) jointly announced in November last year to elevate their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and ASEAN's close ties with China have effectively promoted the bloc's economic development, said an Indonesian entrepreneur.

In an interview with Xinhua, General Chairman of the Indonesian Chinese Entrepreneur Association Abdul Alek Soelystio said the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership represents closer, higher-level and wider scope cooperation between the two sides.

"The cooperation between China and ASEAN will not be limited to the field of goods trade, and will be expanded to closer and more professional cooperation on service trade in the future," the entrepreneur said.

In his perspective, China has effectively promoted ASEAN's economic development through the Belt and Road Initiative, global cooperation on industrial chain and supply chain, as well as various favorable policies provided by the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA).

Having advantages in developing tropical agriculture, ASEAN hopes to conduct more profound cooperation with China in this field so as to promote fine processing of products, and the efficiency of international logistics and cold-chain distribution, he said.

Speaking highly of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which took effect at the beginning of this year, he said RCEP is able to integrate funds, resources, professional technologies, and services, which helps form the complete circulation and ecosystem of regional economic cooperation.

"We expect RCEP to push forward the sustainable development of the regional economy and provide stability and orderliness amid global uncertainties," he said.

It is the aspiration of ASEAN people that ASEAN and China will join hands to seek development and achieve common prosperity, he added.