Canadian premier to lead large mission<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien will lead
\nhundreds of business executives in a mission called Team Canada
\nduring his Indonesian visit early next year, Canadian Minister
\nfor International Trade Roy MacLaren said here yesterday.<\/p>\n
The prime minister will make Indonesia his main destination on
\nhis planned trip to South and Southeast Asia, said MacLaren, who
\nended his two-day visit here yesterday.<\/p>\n
MacLaren, accompanied by 25 senior executives of international
\nfirms, met with host Minister of Trade Satrio B. Joedono and
\nState Minister of Investment Sanyoto Sastrowardoyo during his
\nvisit here.<\/p>\n
\"The prime minister's Team Canada will represent the largest
\nCanadian business delegation ever to travel to Indonesia,\"
\nMacLaren told a breakfast meeting hosted by the Indonesia-Canada
\nChamber of Commerce at the Shangri-La hotel here.<\/p>\n
Team Canada, said Maclaren, is a synchronization of efforts by
\nbusiness people and the Canadian government to focus on Indonesia
\nand the Asia-Pacific region in preparation for the 21st century,
\nwhich some observers have labeled the Pacific Century.<\/p>\n
According to MacLaren, Team Canada will cement expanding
\neconomic ties by helping Indonesia accelerate its technological,
\nnatural and human resource development.<\/p>\n
The prime minister is also slated to open the new Canadian
\nEducation Center here during his visit.<\/p>\n
\"The center, which will promote Canada as a destination for
\nIndonesian students seeking post-secondary and tertiary education
\ntraining abroad, will contribute further to expanding people-to-
\npeople linkages between our countries,\" said MacLaren.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and Canada enjoy a strong bilateral trade and
\ninvestment relationship. The two-way merchandise trade is
\nestimated at C$1.1 billion (US$814.8 million) for this year,
\nwhile the value of Canadian investment is C$5.0 billion.<\/p>\n
Largest market<\/p>\n
\"In Southeast Asia, Indonesia is the largest market for
\nCanadian merchandise exports; it accounts for well over C$100
\nmillion annually in service exports, as well as being the most
\nimportant destination for direct foreign investment,\" said
\nMacLaren.<\/p>\n
He said that Canadian firms, having extensive expertise in
\nharnessing natural gas resources for energy and petrochemical
\napplication, want to work with Indonesia in meeting the ever
\nrising demand for energy, including conventional, coal-fired and
\nhydro power.<\/p>\n
\"We are also looking for new sectoral investment
\nopportunities,\" said MacLaren.<\/p>\n
The minister also opened the new office of SNC-Lavalin,
\nCanada's largest consulting engineering company, here on Monday.<\/p>\n
According to the company's vice president, Pierre Dufour, SNC-
\nLavalin Groups has been active in Asian development for more than
\ntwo decades with more than 200 contracts, including 50 in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
SNC-Lavalin Group is a publicly listed company on the Montreal
\nand Toronto stock exchanges with operations in engineering-
\nconstruction and manufacturing in 26 countries.<\/p>\n
There are at least one dozen Canadian engineering companies
\nworking in an array of sectors with local partners in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Canadian firms operating in Indonesia include large,
\ninternationally renowned corporations and small and medium-sized
\nenterprises (SMEs) with unique expertise in emerging technologies
\nand specialized services.<\/p>\n
The Export Development Corporation (EDC) of Canada has
\nexpanded its lending programs to include not only government-to-
\ngovernment transactions but also support for private sector
\nprocurement.<\/p>\n
The facility, which will support transactions with a value of
\nC$100,000 or more, is of particular importance to Canadian and
\nIndonesian SMEs which require export credit supports.<\/p>\n
MacLaren said there are already a number of such transactions
\nin the pipeline. They will add to the extensive EDC portfolio in
\nIndonesia, which has accounted for over C$800 million in
\nfinancing support since the 1970s.<\/p>\n
Negotiations between both governments have begun towards the
\nconclusion of a foreign investment protection agreement which
\nwill spur direct investment by Canadians in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"An air service agreement is to be negotiated next month to
\npermit the establishment of a direct air link between the two
\ncountries,\" said MacLaren.<\/p>\n
He said that Indonesia and Canada share a commitment to
\nincrease openness in the world trading system, as signatories to
\nthe World Trade Organization and proponents of accelerated global
\ntrade and investment liberalization.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's ongoing privatization program, recent economic
\nreform measures and the removal of impediments to increase trade
\nand investment flows are regarded by MacLaren as visible
\ndemonstration of the country's commitment to ensure the success
\nof the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum and its
\nobjectives.<\/p>\n
MacLaren will proceed to Osaka, Japan, where he will join
\nAPEC's ministerial meeting later this week.(kod)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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