China focuses cooperation on digital economy and AI with ASEAN
Jakarta (ANTARA) - China’s Ambassador to ASEAN Wang Qing stated that current cooperation between China and ASEAN is focused on several strategic sectors of mutual interest, including the digital economy, energy, and artificial intelligence (AI).
“At present, China and ASEAN are paying more attention to the digital economy, green economy, and energy projects,” said Ambassador Wang during a meeting and dialogue with media and think tanks in Jakarta on Thursday.
Cooperation with ASEAN in these sectors, Wang continued, is supported by China’s 15th Five-Year Development Plan for the period 2026-2030, which emphasises energy transition and technological development as one of the focuses of China’s national development.
In addition to the digital economy, Wang assessed that developments in the AI and technological innovation sectors provide new opportunities for cooperation between China and ASEAN.
With its technological advantages, China wants to help ASEAN develop these sectors. Moreover, Wang sees that ASEAN countries currently want to expand their industrial and manufacturing capacities.
“We can seek compatibility and synergise our strategies,” said Ambassador Wang while emphasising the importance of dialogue and communication between China and ASEAN to explore new areas of cooperation that can be undertaken.
Furthermore, he explained that the energy crisis triggered by the war in the Middle East could provide momentum to strengthen cooperation in the field of energy transition.
According to him, China has continuously promoted the transition to renewable energy through the utilisation of solar, water, and wind power.
Wang mentioned that one energy sector that can be collaborated on with ASEAN is the development of better energy storage systems, because one issue in the utilisation of environmentally friendly energy is supply stability.
He also expressed China’s openness to collaborating in ensuring that the supply of renewable energy becomes more stable and reliable, with more affordable prices and increasingly acceptable to industry.