Country Profile

With China and India seeing unprecedented growth over the past decade, global trade has increasingly pivoted towards Asia, putting ASEAN in a favourable position to capitalise on new regional opportunities. Official integration of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is set to have a dramatic impact on future trade growth, both within ASEAN and beyond. Indonesia’s population and economy are the largest in the AEC, creating opportunities as regional integration unfolds. Investment is expected to rise as foreign companies seek to access the domestic consumer base, while export revenues could benefit from easier access to new markets.

This chapter contains a viewpoint from President Joko Widodo; and interviews with Vice-President Yusuf Kalla; and John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand.