Indonesia is willing to work with China and other member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to promote the development of new energy vehicles (NEVs), said an official on Sept 24.

“Indonesia hopes to collaborate with partners in ASEAN and China to establish a unified standard for NEVs and promote renewable energy, said Mardyana Listyowati, director-general of national export development at Indonesia’s Ministry of Trade.

Listyowati was speaking to the media at the 21st China-ASEAN Expo, during which Indonesia opened two pavilions to showcase its products.

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The five-day expo is being held until Sept 28 in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Over 3,000 enterprises are attending the event that aims to boost economic cooperation between China and ASEAN.

Noting that Indonesia possesses abundant natural resources, including nickel, which is a critical material for NEV batteries, Listyowati said the country is promoting the development of NEV battery industry and hopes to attract relevant investment.

“Indonesia also hopes to provide a full supply chain for NEVs, which will contribute to the advancement of global renewable energy,” said Listyowati

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SAIC-GM-Wuling, a joint venture based in Guangxi’s Liuzhou city, established its first overseas plant in Indonesia in 2017. On Sept 21, the company announced that it plans to start producing electric vehicle batteries in Indonesia by the end of 2024.

Listyowati said she hopes Wuling, based on its current momentum in Indonesia, can provide more technology transfer to support the development of new energy materials in Indonesia.

China and ASEAN are making steady progress on negotiations for the upgraded version 3.0 of their free trade agreement, Listyowati said, noting that the FTA plays a key role in enhancing the two sides’ economic cooperation.

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“The (ASEAN-China) FTA 3.0 strengthens ASEAN-China ties, fosters economic resilience, and ensures both regions’ leadership on the global stage, advancing long-term economic growth and sustainability,” said Listyowati.

In addition, Listyowati said she hopes Indonesia and China can deepen their cooperation in people-to-people exchanges and security.

Contact the writers at kelly@chinadailyapac.com