Hosting APEC Summit 2013 and other APEC meetings has helped enhancing the leading role of Indonesia in the Southeast Asia, bringing in a hope to become a global powerhouse in the future, said Indonesian Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa at the press conference in Bali on October 5.

The Indonesian Chief Economic Minister stressed that hosting APEC 2013 would bring many advantages and interests to the country.

He said there are three main priorities of APEC in Bali which serve the interests of Indonesia , including the implementation of the Bogor Goals, formulated by APEC in 1994; promoting sustainable and equitable growth; and enhancing regional connectivity, which is an important goal that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) makes every effort to reach.

The minister noted that about 75 percent of total Indonesia ’s trade was carried out with APEC member economies and Indonesia-APEC trade growth is higher than its trade growth with other countries outside the APEC region.

The minister said this year’s APEC Summit creates momentum to speed up the implementation of the Master Plan for Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesia’s Economic Development (MP3EI). The event also helps facilitate the country’s access to investment capital flow and markets, generating national economic growth, added Hatta.-VNA