South Sumatra, which boasts abundant natural resources, plans to develop a special economic zone around the Tanjung Api-api port, with Coordinating Economics Minister Hatta Rajasa making a sales pitch for his own home province. Endorsing the ambitious plan, Hatta told a dinner gathering Monday that through agriculture and mining industries, South Sumatra had the basics necessary to play a larger role in international trade provided it had the right support and policies.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Trade Ministry has projected a 7 percent - 8.5 percent increase in the country`s non-oil/non-gas exports this year after they reached a total value of US$97.5 billion last year. "We are optimistic non-oil/non-gas exports in 2010 will meet the targeted increase of 7 percent - 8.5 percent set in the medium-term national development plan," Deputy Trade Minister Mahendra said here on Tuesday.

Pontianak (ANTARA News) - West Kalimantan has offered the Singapore government cooperation in crude palm oil management. "So far CPO from West Kalimantan have to pass Belawan port in Medan (North Sumatra)," the province`s governor, Cornelis, said on the sidelines of a visit by Singapore ambassador to Indonesia Ashok Mirpuri here on Tuesday. The license that has been issued by the provincial government covers up to 2.3 million hectares with realization of plantations at around 500,000 hectares.

Indonesia has denied a plan to ban seaweed exports, saying its growers could meet the demand from Filipino seaweed processors. "A total ban is beyond what we intend to happen. What we plan to do is manage exports," Victor Nikijuluw, head of Indonesia's Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, told a briefing in Makati City on Monday night.

The Trade Ministry has released information saying that it has, as of the end of last year, revoked 1,104 import licenses in line with the enforcement of a 2008 ministerial regulation on imports of particular products. “There are 1,104 IT licenses [registered importer licenses] that have been revoked,” the ministry’s director general for international trade Diah Maulida told reporters Tuesday.

A number of experts and scholars in economics and politics declared the foundation of the Indonesian Political Economy Association (AEPI) on Tuesday, aiming to help Indonesia move toward an independent economy. Among the those involved were economists Hendri Saparini and Ichsanudin Noorsy, lecturer Samsul Hadi from the University of Indonesia, PLN labor union’s chairman Ahmad Daryoko and Henri Saragih, who is an international coordinator at an international peasant movement Via Campesina.

The government is considering adding more categories of products, as well as extending existing categories, to a revision of a 2008 Trade Ministry regulation on imports of particular products in a bid to protect the domestic market. Deputy Trade Minister Mahendra Siregar said Tuesday that the Coordinating Economic Ministry was discussing such possibilities. “We are considering the inclusion of herbal medicines and cosmetics [in the revision],” he told a press conference.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said the contribution of creative industries to Indonesia`s non-oil/non- gas exports reached around 7.5 percent or Rp114.9 trillion. "Creative industries contributed around 7.5 percent to our non-oil/non-gas export performance," she said in a dialogue with 400 senior high school students at the ministry`s auditorium on Monday.

Ternate (ANTARA News) - Investors from China and Australia were interested in developing the gold mine in North Halmahera regency, North Maluku. Head of the North Halmahera mining and energy agency Aser Tidore said here Monday that the Chinese investor was interested in developing the goldmine in Galela Barat, while the Australian investor wished to develop the goldmine in Kao.

Manado (ANTARA News) - Cement made in China that does not meet SNI (Indonesian National Stadard) norms will not be allowed to enter North Sulawesi province despite the Asean-China Free Trade agreement (ACFTA), a local trade official said. "If they do not meet SNI conditions, Chinese cement imports cannot enter North Sulawesi province," the head of the domestic trade section of North Sulawesi`s trade and industry office, Janny Rembet, said here Tuesday.

The Indonesian government has sent a letter to China requesting a renegotiation of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement [ACFTA]. “Director General for International Trade Gusmardi [Bustami] sent a letter of request to renegotiate with China. The request is still in process and will take some time,” Industry Ministry M.S. Hidayat told Antara on Tuesday.