Indonesias Foreign Affairs Minister Retno LP Marsudi said in Manila, Sunday, the countrys palm oil production has faced black campaign recently.
"The newest case was the discriminative resolution of European Parliament on palm oil. Indonesia and Malaysia have established the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC)," Retno said.
Trade cooperation among the IMT-GT (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand - Growth Triangle) countries has a huge potential and reached US$416 billion or 18.3 percent of the total ASEAN trade.
Such potential has been supported by the sub-regions economic growth during 2010-2015 at 6.9 percent on average.
"This is a relatively high growth," the minister added.
While total population in the sub-region has recorded at some 81 million or some 13 percent of the total ASEAN population.
"In term of labor force, we have 38.3 million or 12.2 percent of the total labor force in ASEAN," Retno asserted.
With the natural resource condition in the sub-region, the most potential sector for cooperation would be in plantation, she said.
During the 10th IMT-GT Summit in Manila on Saturday, President Joko Widodo said that the region has the potential of high economic growth, with the support of its plantation sector including palm oil.
During the summit, President Jokowi has asked Thailand to join Indonesia and Malaysia in CPOPC, and jointly fight the black campaign against palm oil.
"Malaysian Prime Minister has fully supported the President. Earlier at the ASEAN Summit, the Malaysian PM has also mentioned the need to fight against black campaign on palm oil," she said.
The summit was attended by President Jokowi, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, and Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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