REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesia must exploit the integration of ASEAN member states during the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC-2015) so as to expand its market, an official observed.

"The launch of the ASEAN Economic Community 2015 is getting closer. Indonesia should grab this opportunity to expand its market for improving the welfare of the people," Foreign Affairs Ministry's Director General for ASEAN Cooperation I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja said here on Tuesday.

He made the remark during a media briefing on "Indonesia's Preparation to Face the ASEAN Economic Community 2015" at the Nusantara Building on Pejambon street.

Puja noted there was no need for any apprehension about the implementation of the AEC 2015 as it will provide a wide range of opportunities that Indonesia can exploit to expand its market in the ASEAN region.

"Indonesia has a market potential of 250 million people, while the ASEAN market has 625 million people. Thus, Indonesia's chances for entering other wider markets are great," Puja remarked.

In the meantime, Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs' regional and subregional spokesman Rizal Edwin explained that Indonesia has so far fulfilled several important aspects for implementing the AEC.

"In fact, Indonesia's national-level AEC blueprint had reached 85.5 percent as of August 2014, while the average 'score card' of the ASEAN in the achievement of the AEC was at 82.1 percent," Edwin added.

He pointed out that Indonesia has ratified 115 of the 138 ASEAN economic agreements in trades, services, and investments.

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