JAKARTA - China's growing appetite for natural resources and Indonesia's position as Asia's resource-richest country are pulling the longtime regional adversaries together in a mutually beneficial commercial embrace. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who has made several state visits to China since taking power in 2004, has prioritized building up better bilateral relations with Beijing.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Association of Indonesia Real Estate Broker has said he considers that the protection for Indonesian consumers as regards purchase of foreign property is still weak. In addition, according to Chairman of Association of Indonesia Real Estate Broker Tirta Setiawan, selection of every foreign property in Indonesia is required. “So, they cannot easily sell their products. This is for our consumers' sake,” he told Tempo.

"Stop talking and start working" is the strong message sent by Indonesian business to the government in relation to its efforts to increase investment and improve the country's competitiveness amid the challenges of rapid globalization.

Amid a nationwide clamor for minimum-wage increases, a powerful employers' grouping has argued the need for wage levels to be tied to productivity. "Provincial, regency and municipal administrations should be deprived of the right to set the minimum wage as they don't assess worker productivity," Sofjan Wanandi, who chairs the Indonesian Employers Association (APINDO), said Tuesday on the sidelines of a seminar on productivity and remuneration.

Tokyo (ANTARA News) - Indonesia signed Tuesday the framework for a free trade deal with Japan, which sought firm guarantees for the archipelago's gas exports and took the rare step of agreeing to let in its workers. While the deal remained largely vague in detail, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he hoped for a quick conclusion of working-level talks to thrash out the details.