CONGRATULATORY REMARKS BY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE GERARD HO AT THE ASEAN-JAPAN SYMPOSIUM: CO-CREATION IN AN ERA OF GEOECONOMICS AT THE ERIA DIGITAL INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY CENTRE (E-DISC) ON 11 NOVEMBER 2025

Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

A very good afternoon.

It is my honour to join you this afternoon at this ASEAN–Japan Symposium on Co-creation in an Era of Geoeconomics to celebrate another milestone in the long and enduring friendship between ASEAN and Japan.

Let me first extend my warm congratulations to Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN Kiya Masahiko, President of ERIA Prof Tetsuya Watanabe, and FPCI Founder and Chairman Dr Dino Patti Djalal, and the Japan–ASEAN Integration Fund Management Team for organising this timely and forward-looking symposium. 

I would also like to take a moment to acknowledge that this is Ambassador Kiya’s final week in Jakarta before he completes his assignment. Ambassador Kiya has been a steadfast and gracious partner to all of us in the ASEAN Family and, as you can tell by his organisation of this event, he has been steadfast in strengthening ASEAN-Japan cooperation, even right up to the end of his term. We thank him for his dedication and friendship and wish him the very best in his future endeavours.

Excellencies, this year marks a new chapter for ASEAN.

With the adoption of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 in May this year, we have reaffirmed our collective aspiration for a peaceful, stable, and resilient ASEAN that is united, inclusive, and future-ready. The Vision charts our course toward a community that is innovative, competitive, and sustainable, and one that truly delivers for our peoples.

Japan has long been a trusted partner in ASEAN’s journey.

For more than five decades, ASEAN and Japan have worked hand-in-hand to build trust, promote prosperity, and uphold a stable and rules-based regional architecture. 

From advancing economic integration and connectivity to championing human resource development, digital innovation, and sustainable growth, we have a long history of close cooperation anchored in mutual respect and a shared belief in cooperation for peace and progress.

Japan’s continued support, through initiatives that promote innovation, connectivity, and capacity-building, will continue to be invaluable as ASEAN works to translate our vision 2045 into reality.

As we enter a new era of geoeconomics, the trust between us will be even more vital.

The global landscape is shifting.

Supply chains are being reconfigured, technological disruptions are accelerating, and new forms of interdependence are emerging.

In this environment, ASEAN and Japan play a pivotal role in shaping an open, stable, and rules-based regional order that benefits all. Our task, therefore, is not merely to adapt, but to co-create.

To this end, we should harness our respective strengths, align our priorities, and work together toward resilient and inclusive growth to unlock new opportunities, including through implementing the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and upgrading the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership. The recently adopted Joint Statement of the 28^th ASEAN-Japan Summit on Further Promotion and Implementation of the AOIP provides a strong foundation for this and emphasises our shared commitment to openness, inclusivity, and pursuing practical cooperation. This will ensure that our region remains dynamic and competitive, while leaving no one behind.

Let me once again congratulate our all organisers for this meaningful initiative.

May today’s discussions strengthen our collective resolve to build a more peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future together, as trusted partners.

Thank you.