JABAR EKSPRES – Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan hopes the history of Sam Poo Kong, where Admiral Cheng Ho anchored, can inspire ASEAN Economic Ministers to bring a positive spirit to make tangible results from the series of meetings until Tuesday (8/22).
“I hope our meeting in Semarang can send a message to the world that we are here to commit to building an ASEAN that is resilient, relevant, inclusive, and beneficial to the welfare of the people of the ASEAN region and the world,” Zulhas said in a statement in Semarang, Central Java, Monday (8/21).
Zulhas on Sunday (20/8) evening hosted a dinner for ASEAN economic ministers at the iconic Sam Poo Kong Temple in Semarang.
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Zulhas told the ministers that the Sam Poo Kong location is where Admiral Cheng Ho anchored and settled in Semarang. Admiral Cheng Ho was instrumental in spreading Islam in the archipelago in the past.
In the place where Cheng Ho anchored, a cave and a temple with the name Sam Poo Kong were built rather than the legendary admiral from China. Therefore, Sam Poo Kong is unique in the form of a long history and evidence of the meeting point of Javanese and Chinese cultures.
“Sam Poo Kong is not an ordinary place of worship. Sam Poo Kong is an iconic tourist destination that is full of cultural backgrounds and has become a symbol of cultural mixing between Javanese and Chinese cultures,” Zulhas said.
Zulhas said through the 55th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting (AEM), Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia wants to invite all ASEAN Economic Ministers to make concrete results.
According to him, tangible results from ministerial meetings such as the AEM are very important to ensure that ASEAN and its dialogue partners can contribute to economic growth.
“Collaboration is key. We work together to make ASEAN the center of global economic growth,” he said.
