Indonesia is pushing for increased economic activities between ASEAN and Latin America.

Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan noted that trade and investments between the two regions were relatively low, and said connectivity was one impediment that needed to be overcome to promote contact between ASEAN and Latin American countries.

Mr Wirjawan was speaking ahead of the ASEAN-Latin Business Forum on Monday.

The two-day event in Jakarta will bring together trade ministers, policy-makers, businessmen and top executives from the two regions.

Latin American countries trade some US$8.4 trillion worth of goods and services - mostly with non-ASEAN countries.

Conversely, ASEAN's US$2.5 trillion trade is mainly with non-Latin American countries.

With traditional markets in the US and Europe in decline, experts say countries are exploring new opportunities in ASEAN and Latin America.

Mr Wirjawan said: "As much as we love each other, we're not familiar with each other. I think it's a contradiction in terms. But if one goes to South America or Latin America, one would feel tremendously welcomed. But one is inhibited from basically spending time with each other by way of connectivity impediments and by way of, I think, our focus on traditional markets such as other parts of Asia Pacific and the United States and Europe.

"And conversely they too go through the same type of mental state. This is something that needs to be remedied and I think can be remedied relatively easily in the near foreseeable future.

"I think the way forward is to continue the efforts to reduce the gap of familiarity between the two zones .... to make sure we invest in the infrastructure development across ASEAN so that we can be basically ready to connect our products and services between the two zones. That I think will game change."

channelnewsasia.com