ASEAN must extend cooperation to counter China, India: Yudhoyono

Asian Economic News, Feb 22, 2005

SINGAPORE, Feb. 16 Kyodo

Indonesian President Bambang Yudhoyono said Wednesday the Association of Southeast Asian Nations should expand its ties with India, Australia and New Zealand, apparently as part of the regional bloc's dream of forming a European Community-type grouping in Asia.

ASEAN -- a 10-member group consisting of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- already has institutional ties with Japan, China and South Korea through the so-called ''ASEAN-plus-three'' framework.

''We have to move ahead skillfully, wisely and promptly to do something collectively to respond positively to the changing situation, including the emergence of China and India as new big powers in this region,'' Yudhoyono said during a speech at a meeting organized by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

In addition to China, Japan and South Korea, Yudhoyono said, ''We could expand also our relations and cooperation with India to the west, and also (embracing) Australia and New Zealand to be part of our cooperation.''

''I believe we will have opportunity to grow and prosper together, realizing that the big players are also growing in the region,'' he said.

Yudhoyono's remarks came in response to a question from the floor on how he thinks Indonesia could respond to the rise of China and India.

Officials in ASEAN are discussing the modalities for holding an East Asian summit in Kuala Lumpur in December this year, and one of the questions is whether to include countries such as India, Australia and New Zealand.

ASEAN has been holding an annual ''ASEAN-plus-three'' summit with China, Japan and South Korea.

Last year, ASEAN leaders agreed during a summit in Laos to proceed with an ''East Asian'' summit, an idea which was recommended by a panel of experts to intensify cooperation in the region with an eye to an Asian version of the European Community.