The government, therefore, should continue to watch and prevent APEC from being used to serve more the interest of the big powers among its members, Teguh Boediyana of the Indonesians Cooperatives Council (Dekopin) said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - An economic observer said advanced nations among the members of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) could use the regional economic forum to expand their market.
"APEC favors free trade and under a liberal system a country would always thinks of benefit in dealing with other countries," Teguh Boediyana of the Indonesians Cooperatives Council (Dekopin) said on Wednesday.
APEC will remain a forum defending trade liberalization under which member countries will rely on their competitive strength for survival, Teguh said.
The government, therefore, should continue to watch and prevent APEC from being used to serve more the interest of the big powers among its members, he said.
APEC is potential to be used by advanced nations among its members to increase their domination of the market in the region, he said.
He said Indonesia must be able to emerge as a country with strong bargaining power.
"Now are we ready to go to the center of trade liberalization and face those countries?" he queried.
He said Indonesia should have a strong bargaining power with its huge domestic market and abundant natural resources.
However, he doubted that Indonesia has been ready to face trade liberalization in APEC.
Indonesia has no concept to strengthen its real sector while other countries like Korea, Japan, and Thailand have long developed effective concepts to strengthen their real sector to make use of any opportunity in the process of globalization and liberalization, he said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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