TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Many probably have no idea what FEALAC is. It stands for 'Forum for East Asia and Latin America Cooperation', a ministerial forum of East Asian and Latin America countries. It has been held for 6 times and this year's forum is held in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia.

"FEALAC is a bridge of two regions, East Asia and Latin America. It's a bridge to connect us with the future and our predecessors. It's a bridge connecting human ideas and cultures. It's also a bridge that can build harmony among people of the two regions," said Foreign Affairs Minister, Marty M. Natalegawa at the opening session of FEALAC in Nusa Dua Bali, Thursday, July 13, 2014.

Marty said that both East Asia and Latin America are two influential regions in the world and quite a few members of FEALAC have now emerged as global powers.

He added that both Asia and Latin America are also enjoying positive global development, making them global economic machines. FEALAC contributes 33.43 percent of the global GDP and 29.82 percent of the global trade.

Furthermore, Marty hoped that promoting connectivity between the two regions could continue to be enhanced, especially through ways that can bridge contacts between people of the two regions, such as cooperation in the airline industries, facilitating people's mobility, and making most of the internet to bring people of the two regions closer.

Indonesia is one of the first countries to join FEALAC because the country sees potentials and opportunities that forum offers, especially in the economic and socio-cultural sectors.

NATALIA SANTI