Malcolm Turnbull is urging business leaders to ride the economic surge from Asia’s rising middle class amid a dramatic show of support in the region for closer ties with Australia.

The Prime Minister is using a two-day summit with regional leaders to outline a boost to Australian jobs from stronger links as long as business leaders tap into the growing wealth of south-east Asia.

In a speech to business leaders at the summit, Mr Turnbull emphasises the four-fold rise in the middle class to 160 million potential customers among member countries of the Association of South-East Asian Nations.

Malcolm Turnbull with Joko Widodo last year.

Fairfax Media revealed on Friday that Indonesian President Joko Widodo said it was a “good idea” for Australia to join the ASEAN group of 10 nations, a significant show of support in a relationship that has been strained in decades past.