Indonesia to expand co-op with China's Guangxi

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-07-06 22:40

JAKARTA: Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said Monday Indonesia will seek cooperation in trade and investment with China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region through its participation in the 6th China-ASEAN Expo (CAPEX).

Pangestu made the remarks during a meeting with Guo Shengkun, party secretary of Guangxi Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the Standing Committee of Guangxi People's Congress.

During the meeting, an agreement on the assistance of the Guangxi administration on the Indonesian Trade Ministry for participating in the expo was signed.

At a press conference after the meeting, Pangestu said "Guangxi is strong in agriculture and has similarity in climate with Indonesia. (Therefore) We have some ideas to seek cooperation in various fields of investment and trade."

Pangestu said that Indonesia believes the Chinese economy still has the potential to grow faster, which could exceed 8 percent.

She said that Indonesia must catch the opportunity through participation in the expo that will be held from October 20 to 24.

"So, our participation in the China-ASEAN Expo and others things that we will promote in China must become the priority of the Indonesian government," she said.

The minister said that Indonesia's export to China in the last two months has contributed to the country's export hike, after slumping for months due to the global recession.

She said that Indonesia will bring the city icon of ethic city of Kutai Kertanegara of East Kalimantan province to the expo.

The trade ministry also eyes huge amount of Chinese tourists to visit Indonesia, she said.

Bachrul Chairi, the head of the National Agency for Export Development (BPEN), said that 65 companies have confirmed their participation in the expo so far, and the ministry would try to get 80 firms.

Indonesia's trade volume with Guangxi has reached over US$420 million, he said.

Indonesia will promote its products of agriculture and mine in the expo, he said.