REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KUALA LUMPUR -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said it is important to identify Indonesian products that could survive competition in a free trade area when the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) would be implemented next year.
"Identification would be made soon of products that could face the market competition," Jokowi said after a gala dinner of the 26th summit meeting of ASEAN here on Sunday night.
The president expressed optimism facing AEC saying Indonesia would not seek delay in the implementation from early 2016.
"We have to be optimistic as Indonesia has varying products but they have to identified which of them are competitive in the markets," he said.
He said many countries outside ASEAN are worried with the implementation of AEC.
He said in the four-day ASEAN summit meeting to last until April 29, one of the agenda is the readiness of each member country to implement AEC early next year.
"There must not be delay. We have to be ready. I think what is most important is identification of our products," he said.
There would be two sessions of the summit meeting including plenary session in Kualalumpur and "retreat" in Langkawi, Kedah.
In between the meeting, the heads of state or governments will meet with representatives of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC), ASEAN Youth Representatives and Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Representatives.
The Asean heads of state and government are also invited to attend the 12th ASEAn Leadership Forum in Kualalumpur.
In addition, there would be separate meetings between Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines on East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and between Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand on Growth Triangle.
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