Asia-Pacific

Yudhoyono predicts a 'different Asia' in 21st century

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-12-08 15:57

JAKARTA: Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said that Asia should make the 21st century as the "soft power era" to make a "different Asia", Kompas.com reported on Tuesday. ? ?

"The different Asia is a region with full of partnership network and tolerance, peaceful and prosper region and a territory that becomes the world's growth hub,"said Yudhoyono in his opening remarks of the Congress of the 4th Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) in West Java's provincial capital city of Bandung.

He said he believed that the key for the peaceful and prosperous Asia's future lies on capacity to build and spread " soft power."

"Currently, we are in a time that is full of momentum and opportunities. The world in 21st century will be very different with 20th one,"he said.

According to the president, the global economic architecture is changing while geopolitical orders are changing fast.

"In the transforming world, Asia will be 'more relevant' with its role increases further,"he said, adding that signs of Asia to become one of the world's powers are seen on how the region is a part of solution against the current global economic crisis.

"We are part of the solution of various problems that are complex and related each other locally, nationally, regionally and globally," he said.

The congress was attended by at least 174 representatives from 26 countries, four observing countries and three parliamentary organizations in Asia.