"In the years to come, history will prove that trading activity and free trade agreement between ASEAN and China will benefit entrepreneurs and people on both sides," said the prime minister here on Saturday in speech at a meeting organized by the Indonesian Council on World Affairs.
Wen also said China would support efforts to boost ASEAN-China connectivity through sea and land transportation. He also expressed hope that in the future, more people from ASEAN and China would interact with each other.
During his meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last Friday (April 29), Prime Minister Jiabao said that China was ready to encourage cooperation in the East Asia region so that it would develop healthily and in a stable way.
China, he said, was always ready to encourage the creation of peace and prosperity in the East Asian region.
"China is ready to strengthen coordination with Indonesia and supports Indonesia`s efforts to organize a series of East Asian leaders` meetings this year," Jiabao said.
The meeting of the leaders of the East Asian nations would be held during the ASEAN summit which will take place in Bali in November 2011.
Wen said he believed Indonesia will play an increasingly and important role in the long run, at both regional and international levels.
In the meantime, President Yudhoyono told Wen about ASEAN`s intention to cooperate with China in overcoming the turmoil in world food and energy prices,
"Here is the importance of cooperation in increasing food security and energy security, whether it is increasing the production and productivity or increasing steps to stabilize the prices," he said.
ASEAN , according to the president, will increase cooperation with China to increase food resilience at the regional level. (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
