Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto called for concrete cooperation to strengthen the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR), emphasizing its importance for regional food security.

He delivered the remarks at the 28th ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, as cited in a statement from the Presidential Palace Press Bureau.

According to the President, enhancing the emergency rice reserve—which involves China, Japan, and South Korea—is essential to ensuring a stable food supply and improving emergency response among member countries through better information exchange.

Prabowo also underscored the need to implement the APT Cooperation Work Plan (2023–2027) and reinforce the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization as tangible steps to deepen regional economic and financial cooperation.

On the topic of ASEAN Plus Three regional integration, he noted that a new chapter of collaboration is unfolding amid complex global challenges, including climate change, disruptions to international trade, and rising geopolitical tensions—all of which affect communities across the region.

“For Indonesia, these pressures are real—for our farmers, our youth, and the vital role we play in the global supply chain,” Prabowo said.

He further highlighted the latest ASEAN Plus Three Regional Economic Outlook report as evidence of the region’s resilience, while cautioning that economic stability cannot be taken for granted.

Prabowo stressed the importance of strengthening regional integration, diversifying trade, and enhancing financial safety nets as core priorities of the APT agenda.

“Indonesia recognizes the value of trilateral cooperation between China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea for the broader region. Deepening this collaboration through regular summits and ministerial meetings will be key to sustaining growth and protecting the region from external shocks,” he added.

He also expressed full support for the ratification of the ASEAN Plus Three Leaders’ Statement on Strengthening Regional Economic and Financial Cooperation.

“Let this aspiration preserve our relevance and foresight in shaping a better future for the region,” the President stated.

Concluding his remarks, Prabowo shared his views on the importance of maintaining a spirit of healthy competition amid global uncertainty.

“I reaffirm a fundamental truth: competition is inevitable. It is the engine of progress. But to truly drive progress, competition must be constructive,” he said.

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Translator: Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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