HONG KONG, Dec. 14 (PNA/Xinhua) — Countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should stay vigilant in maintaining regional peace and stability while striving for better economic prospects, Indonesian Ambassador to China Soegeng Rahardjo said in a written speech.
The speech, delivered by counselor of the Indonesian Embassy in China Santo Darmosumarto at the ASEAN Development Forum 2014 held here on Saturday, focused on the development of ASEAN and its role in promoting peace, mutual prosperity, and closer cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.
The 21st century is often labeled as the Asian century and the economic achievements of many Asian countries have grabbed the world’s attention, he said. However, there should be no room for complacence.
“We should take targeted measures to support economic growth. We must also take decisive actions to reinforce confidence and strengthen the region’s potential,” he said. In this regard, Asian countries must be able to anticipate and withstand any economic turbulence and become a more resilient region.
The ambassador also mentioned that the ASEAN-China relationship has grown into a more strategic and comprehensive partnership based on mutual interest, respect and benefit.
“There remains much room for the growth, but there is immense confidence in the capacity of the ASEAN-China partnership to generate mutually beneficial gains,” he added.
When talking about security in the Asia-Pacific region, the ambassador said peace and stability would be jeopardized if threats like terrorism were overlooked.
Promoting regional peace, security and stability has been a core interest of ASEAN, he told the audience, noting that the group’s approach towards managing conflicts is based on dialogue and consultation.
Over the decades, ASEAN has successfully built and consolidated peace and security in Southeast Asia, the official said, adding that through the promotion of a culture of peace, ASEAN has now transformed itself into a caring and sharing community.
“Arguably the larger Asia-Pacific region can also benefit from having a culture of peace,” he said, pointing out that there are already various cooperation platforms in the region.
These platforms of cooperation should also be aimed at providing a mechanism to resolve territorial disputes and manage potential conflicts, he said.
The ambassador also called for the promotion of a sense of community in the larger Asia-Pacific region, saying this is necessary in truly turning the 21st Century into the Asian Century. (PNA/Xinhua)