Indonesia has proposed a broader use of China's renminbi in ASEAN's trade and investment to counter the impact of stronger US dollar.

"We want to push harder for a broader use of Chinese renminbi in the region," newly-appointed Indonesian Trade Minister Thomas Trikasih Lembong said.

This is because ASEAN economies are much more in tune with China's due to their proximity and trade relations, he told Bernama on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting and Related Meetings here today.

Besides putting forward the proposal at the meeting here, Thomas said he planned to raise it to the broader economic team in Indonesia's Cabinet as well.

Going forward, he said the market was hoping that the US Federal Reserve would decide on their next course of action with regards to its interest rates.

"We are a few weeks away from it (the US Federal Reserve decision). We will see a major calm in the markets thereafter," Thomas said.

Meanwhile, he reiterated Indonesia's strong support to the ASEAN Economic Community formation on Dec 31, 2015.

"ASEAN countries will be much stronger in confronting external headwinds when we pool our resources (together) as opposed to each one of us trying to fight it single handedly," Thomas said.