The key to overcoming them is internal and external stability and infrastructure."
Hainan (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has emphasized the importance of infrastructure development for boosting regional economic growth in Asia.

During his speech at the Boao Forum for Asias (BFAs) Annual Conference 2015 on Saturday, Indonesias President Joko Widodo said Asia was facing four challenges at present.

"The key to overcoming them is internal and external stability and infrastructure," he said.

Jokowi, as the President is also addressed, said the four challenges were improving the quality of peoples livelihood, maintaining sustainable development and growth, security and employment.

He said with good infrastructure the economy would automatically grow faster.

"We can take a lesson from the past when Asia suffered because of colonization. With struggle and hard work, economic centers began to move from the west to the east. However, we must continue to learn from the west with regards to technology without necessarily having to shed our identities," he said.

He said he hoped development would not slow down and that investors would continue to remain interested in countries in Asia.

President Jokowi was one of the speakers at the Boao Forum. He spoke at a session entitled, "Asias New Feature: Towards a Community of Common Destiny."

The opening speech was delivered by Boao Forum for Asia Chairman Yasuo Fukuda, who is also the former Prime Minister of Japan.

The keynote speaker at the event was Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Other speakers included Nepal's President Ram Baran Yadav, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Ugandan President Yoweri Koguta Museveni, Zambias President Edgar Chagwa Lungu and Australias Commonwealth Governor General Peter Cosgrove.

Also Kazakhstans Prime Minister Karim Massimov, Malaysias Prime Minister Najib Razak, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Qatars Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Abdullah Al-Thani, Swedens Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, Thailands Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister General Tanasak.

The Boao Forum for Asia is a non-government and non-profit international organization that holds this conference annually.

This year, the event was attended by Chinese leaders, leaders from other foreign countries, as well as top business figures from the Asia Pacific region.

(Reporting by Hanni Sofia Soepardi/Uu.H-YH/INE/KR-BSR/O001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2015