BOGOR — Premier Li Keqiang said on May 7 that China is willing to work with Indonesia to enhance cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

During his talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in the presidential palace in Bogor, West Java, Premier Li said cooperation should be enhanced with the East ASEAN Growth Area which consists of Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines.

China looks forward to creating a new “4+1” model of sub-regional cooperation with the four countries, Premier Li said.

It is also necessary to speed up negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the building of the East Asian economic community, Premier Li added.

For his part, Widodo said that Indonesia is willing to strengthen cooperation with China under the China-ASEAN framework and enhance communication and coordination between the two countries on international and regional issues.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN strategic partnership. Premier Li visited the ASEAN Secretariat on the afternoon of May 7 in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta and met with ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi.