1-3 October 2025, Bali, Indonesia

The 23rd Meeting of the Heads of WCO Asia/Pacific Regional Training Centres (RTCs) was held from 1st – 3rd October 2025 at Bali, Indonesia (RTC Indonesia). The event was organized by the Asia/Pacific Regional Office for Capacity Building (ROCB A/P), co-chaired by RTC Indonesia, bringing together ten (10) Heads of RTCs from across the Asia-Pacific region, the WCO Secretariat, the Asia/Pacific Vice-Chair’s Office, and the Regional Intelligence Liaison Office for Asia and the Pacific (RILO A/P). The meeting adopted a hybrid format, enabling delegates from the WCO Secretariat to participate online for certain sessions.

Mr. Mochamad Mulyono, Director of RTC Indonesia warmly welcomed the delegates at the RTC Indonesia in Bali. The meeting commenced by opening remarks by.

Acting Chairperson of Financial Education and Training Agency, Mr Sudarto, Mr. Gary Hung, Deputy Head of the Secretariat Office of the WCO Vice-Chairperson for the Asia/Pacific Region, and Mr. Jun Tajima, Head of ROCB A/P. The opening remarks highlighted the critical role of RTCs in advancing customs modernization, promoting collaboration, and supporting regional capacity building.

Over the course of the event, RTC leaders exchanged insights on recent progress and strategies to improve training outcomes. Key sessions featured presentations from RTCs in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand, aligned with the 2025 WCO theme: "Customs Delivering on its Commitment to Efficiency, Security, and Prosperity." This emphasized the region's priorities in tackling new issues via enhanced efficiency, security measures, and economic growth. Additional discussions covered regional updates from the Vice-Chair office, RILO A/P, and ROCB A/P, plus WCO policies and programs, with a spotlight on the emerging Capacity Building Paradigm and strategies for cultivating and sustaining WCO experts.

Participants shared best practices on nurturing officers skilled in global capacity building and preserving their expertise. The agenda also incorporated field visits to the Denpasar Regional Training Office and Denpasar Customs Office, as well as immersions into Bali's cultural and economic landscape, ending with a trip to Uluwatu Temple for the iconic Kecak Dance performance.

Mr. Jun Tajima, in his final comments, thanked participants for their engaged input and dedication. He praised the productive exchanges on themes of efficiency, security, prosperity, the updated capacity building framework, and expert cultivation, suggesting these would inform future regional approaches. Optimistic about applying these learnings to elevate capabilities region-wide, he acknowledged RTC Indonesia's hospitality and urged ongoing joint efforts to fortify the Asia-Pacific customs network. The next RTC Heads Meeting is tentatively scheduled to be hosted by RTC Malaysia, with further details to be confirmed in the coming months.

For more information, please contact us at rocb@rocbap.org