RI, China work on $507m projects<\/p>\n
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The governments of Indonesia and China have agreed to jointly
\nwork on infrastructure projects in Indonesia worth US$507 million
\nas a follow-up to the bilateral strategic partnership signed by
\nthe two nations' presidents on Monday.<\/p>\n
The two projects are the completion of the ongoing Suramadu
\nbridge linking Surabaya and Madura island in East Java worth $177
\nmillion and the construction of the $330 million Jatigede dam in
\nWest Java.<\/p>\n
\"During the ministerial level meeting for the strategic
\npartnership, the Indonesian and Chinese governments agreed to
\ninvest in infrastructure projects,\" Minister of Public Works
\nDjoko Kirmanto said at the State Palace on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, the world's fourth most populated country, signed
\nan agreement on strategic partnership with the world's most
\npopulated country, China, to help expand bilateral trade by 42
\npercent from $14 billion to some $20 billion over the next three
\nyears.<\/p>\n
Included in the agreement is the Memorandum of Understanding
\n(MOU) on infrastructure and natural resources cooperation.<\/p>\n
For the initial phase, Djoko said, the Chinese involvement in
\ndeveloping local infrastructure projects would be by providing
\nsoft loans for the construction of the Suramadu bridge and the
\nJatigede dam.<\/p>\n
The Suramadu bridge, which is expected to become the country's
\nlongest bridge, is currently being financed by the central
\ngovernment and the East Java administration.<\/p>\n
The 5,438-meter-long bridge is estimated to be completed by
\n2006, with the loan from China expected to be disbursed this
\nyear. The bridge is primarily aimed at boosting the economy on
\nMadura island, which has been left largely untouched by
\ndevelopment.<\/p>\n
\"The loan from China was initially scheduled to be disbursed
\nlast year. However, it was later postponed because the Indonesian
\ngovernment could not meet several conditions set out by the
\nChinese government,\" said Djoko.<\/p>\n
The conditions include the provision of funds by the
\nIndonesian government amounting 10 percent of the project value
\nfor financing the initial construction of the bridge within one
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Djoko, however, said that during the recent ministerial
\nmeeting, China had agreed to revise the condition by allowing
\nIndonesia to provide only 5 percent of the funds each year for a
\ntwo-year period to help finance the construction.<\/p>\n
Aside from the Suramadu project, Djoko added, China was also
\neager to be involved in the planned Jatigede dam.<\/p>\n
The dam is located in Sumedang regency -- some 130 kilometers
\nsoutheast of Jakarta -- and it is expected to provide water for
\nsome 100,000 hectares of rice fields along the northern Java
\ncoast, particularly in West Java province.<\/p>\n
The dam will address the continual problems of drought and
\nflooding in West Java, particularly in Sumedang.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-china-work-on-507m-projects-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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