Kuala lumpur: Indonesia has called for concrete cooperation between ASEAN and China in key strategic sectors, including the digital economy, clean energy transition, food security, and infrastructure. Foreign Minister Sugiono stressed that, while ASEAN-China relations remain among the most dynamic and impactful in the region, the partnership must now deliver tangible results.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Sugiono emphasized that these sectors are the priority areas already identified by regional leaders. He made these remarks at the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with China, which took place in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday. The event was also attended by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Sugiono welcomed the progress on the upcoming ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (FTA) 3.0, which is set to be signed later this year. He described it as a key step towards open, rules-based trade and deeper regional integration. Additionally, he noted China’s proposed ‘ASEAN visa’, aimed at easing business travel across the region, and the launch of the ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council-China Summit as indicators of growing strategic depth.

For over 15 years, China has been ASEAN’s top trading partner, with trade projected to reach close to US$1 trillion in 2024. China is also among ASEAN’s three largest sources of foreign direct investment. Beyond economics, Sugiono called for stronger cooperation to tackle rising regional challenges, including transnational crime, and emphasized the need for intensifying cooperation in law enforcement and maritime governance.

He underscored the urgency of finalizing a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea by 2026. Sugiono stressed that progress must be ‘meaningful and anchored in international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).’ He concluded by stating, ‘Only then can we achieve true win-win cooperation for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region.’