Indonesia has called on ASEAN countries to jointly develop semiconductor production. To achieve this, the country has proposed creating a roadmap that will unite regional efforts in this area. This was announced by Deputy Minister of Trade of Indonesia Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri at the 58th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, the Philippines, according to ANTARA.
According to Dyah, the development of a roadmap will help strengthen the ASEAN semiconductor ecosystem and increase the region’s competitiveness in global supply chains.
Indonesia believes that ASEAN needs strategic measures to strengthen its semiconductor ecosystem. These include expanding the involvement of universities and research institutions in semiconductor studies and improving infrastructure facilities for sustainable supply chains of critical minerals used in semiconductor production.
The Deputy Minister also proposed applying the principle of investment complementarity and harmonising incentives among ASEAN member states. According to her, this is necessary to develop a complementary industrial ecosystem.
Dyah noted that the ASEAN Semiconductor Roadmap is one of the Priority Economic Deliverables (PEDs) under the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairmanship this year. ASEAN member states are currently finalising the roadmap along with several other PEDs. These include an initiative on the cross-border movement of digital workers and the ASEAN Centre of Excellence for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
The Minister also expressed Indonesia’s appreciation for the completion of another PED – “Driving Financial Health Forward: Unlocking the Next Frontier of Financial Inclusion.”