On 1 September 2023, the China Mobile Southeast Asia (SEA) Cooperation Conference was held in Jakarta, Indonesia. H.E. Secretary General Shi Zhongjun of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) attended and addressed the conference. H.E. Mr. Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment of Indonesia, H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary General of ASEAN, H.E. Mr. Budi Arie Setiadi, Minister of Communications and Informatics of Indonesia, Mr. Li An, Minister Counsellor (Economic and Commercial) of the Mission of China to ASEAN, and Mr. Gao Tongqing, Executive Vice President of China Mobile Communications Corporation addressed the conference. The event attracted more than 300 representatives from government agencies, telecommunication enterprises and scientific research institutions from both ASEAN and China for in-depth discussions and exchanges of views on the development and cooperation of telecommunication technology and digital economy.

    Secretary General Shi stated that in the information age, the digital economy has become an important component of the global economy. It plays a crucial role in the economic and social development, as well as in scientific and technological progress of various countries. In 2018 and 2019, ASEAN Member States (AMS) initiated ASEAN Digital Integration Framework and ASEAN Digital Integration Framework Action Plan, determined prioritized areas to boost the development of digital economy. ASEAN has become a hot land for digital economy and e-commerce. China, as the second largest country in the world in terms of digital economy, has broad space for cooperation with AMS. With the strong supports from the Governments of AMS and China, we will see deeper and wider cooperation in digital economy and related field, contributing to the steady and sound development of ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

 
    In the conference, the guests introduced the development and achievements of digital economy in Indonesia, as well as the cooperation between ASEAN and China. Experts and industry leaders of telecommunication discussed the digital transformation and the construction of smart city in Southeast Asia Region. As part of the conference, Southeast Asia Digital Economy Cooperation Initiative was launched.