Open 43rd ASEAN Summit, Jokowi: ASEAN Agrees Not to Become a Proxy for Any Power

ASEAN SUMMIT - JAKARTA. President Joko Widodo officially opened the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia. In his opening speech, he said that he has recently been hearing public questions about ASEAN. Namely, whether ASEAN will split and cannot unite and/or whether the ASEAN ship can continue to sail.

"Your Majesty, on this good momentum, as a family member and as the Chairman of ASEAN, I want to affirm that the unity of ASEAN is still well maintained," President Jokowi firmly stated at the Jakarta Convention Center, Tuesday (5/9).

Jokowi stated, unity should not mean there are no differences of opinion. 

He exemplified, as a country that has various ethnic groups, cultures, languages, and religions, for Indonesia unity is a harmony in differences, including differences of opinion.

Because differences of opinion actually enrich democracy and show that all parties as a family have an equal position. 

"This equality is what I see has become a rarity in the world," said Jokowi.

According to President Jokowi, many injustices and conflicts occur due to the absence of equality. However, in ASEAN it's different, equality is actually the main value that is respected and upheld together in the framework of unity and togetherness. So that the big ASEAN ship can continue to sail.

ASEAN realizes the world is not doing well. Future challenges are getting heavier and resulting in a scramble for influence by major powers.

"But ASEAN has agreed not to become a proxy for any power, to cooperate with anyone for peace and prosperity," said Jokowi.

President Jokowi asked not to make the ASEAN ship an arena of destructive rivalry.

However, make the ASEAN ship a field to foster cooperation. This is to create prosperity, stability, create peace not only for the region, but also for the world.

President Jokowi said, the world's ocean is too vast to sail alone. According to him, there will be other ships on the journey, namely the ASEAN partner ships.

"Let's together realize equal and mutually beneficial cooperation to sail together towards the epicenter of growth," concluded President Jokowi.