Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi attends the 57th Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting at National Convention Center, in Vientiane on July 26, 2024. - Reuters
JAKARTA: Indonesia's Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi has invited South Korea to mark 35 years of ties with Asean by contributing to the development of a robust electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem in South-East Asia, reported Antara news agency.
Speaking at the Asean Post-Ministerial Conference with South Korea in Vientiane, Laos, on Friday (July 26), Marsudi emphasised the importance of implementing the Asean Leaders' Declaration on Developing a Regional EV Ecosystem, which was established during Indonesia's 2023 Asean chairmanship.
"In order to become a green region in the future, it is vital that Asean enhance its capacity to utilise and create advanced technologies, especially EV," she remarked, according to a statement released from her office in Jakarta.
The minister underscored that the South-East Asian region had been witnessing positive trends in its EV market, with the value having hit US$1.14 billion this year.
She added that the value is projected to propel to US$4.70 billion in 2029.
On that note, Marsudi suggested that Asean and South Korea work together to develop the region's EV ecosystem by leveraging South-East Asian countries' comparative advantages and boosting investments in the EV sector.
Apart from EV-related matters, the Asean and South Korean foreign affairs ministers attending the conference also discussed the prolonged tension in the Korean Peninsula.
"It is crucial to take firm yet prudent steps to address the situation in the Korean Peninsula while ensuring that communication and dialogue channels remain viable," Marsudi stressed.
She added that Asean and South Korea must play a prominent role in encouraging development in the region.
The minister further remarked that both parties should strengthen their commitment to paving the way for an open, transparent, and inclusive regional architecture.
Marsudi also made the most of the conference to encourage South Korea to affirm its support for Palestine by pushing for a permanent ceasefire between Hamas and Israel while advocating uninterrupted distribution of humanitarian aid.
"I hope that South Korea will soon recognise Palestine's statehood and voice support for the country's effort to become a full member of the United Nations," she remarked.
The ministerial conference was also organised to prepare for the launch of the Asean-South Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership at the 25th Asean-South Korea Summit in October. - Bernama-Antara
