HIPMI: Prabowo's International Visits Can Open Investment and Technology Transfer Opportunities

A candidate for Chairman of the Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (BPP HIPMI), Anthony Leong, has expressed appreciation for President Prabowo Subianto’s active visits to various countries aimed at strengthening economic cooperation, investment, trade, and human resource development. According to Anthony, President Prabowo’s overseas visits should be seen as part of a grand national economic transformation strategy, not merely routine diplomatic activity. He assesses that the President is implementing a geo-economic approach designed to accelerate Indonesia’s escape from the middle-income trap. “President Prabowo is practically executing geo-economics. He is directly present in various countries to build strategic investment partnerships, strengthen human resource development, expand trade access, and also open up technology transfer opportunities needed for Indonesia to level up into a developed country,” Anthony said. Anthony believes the results of these various international tours are beginning to show through increasing global confidence in Indonesia. Various bilateral meetings and international forums have yielded large-value investment commitments covering the energy, downstream industry, food security, infrastructure, digital economy, and technology development sectors. He explained that in an increasingly competitive global situation, direct relations between national leaders are an important factor in attracting investment and building trust among international business players. According to Anthony, the world is currently undergoing major changes in global supply chains and value chains. Therefore, Indonesia must take a strategic position not only to be a supplier of raw materials but to be a major player in high-value-added industries. “We are witnessing how the natural resource-based global value chain is being rewoven. Indonesia cannot just be a spectator. We must become a price maker, not continuously a price taker. To achieve that, we need investment, technology, and strong global partnerships. That is what President Prabowo is building through economic diplomacy,” he asserted. Furthermore, Anthony stated that the benefits of overseas visits cannot always be measured instantly. However, the foundation of cooperation being built today will determine Indonesia’s position in the global economic competition of the future. He added that the national business community must also be able to capture the opportunities opened by the government through these various international collaborations. “This momentum must be utilised by the Indonesian business community. We need to encourage the birth of new technology-based factories, develop modern farming sectors with smart farming concepts, strengthen downstreaming, and start building future strategic industries such as semiconductors. In this way, Indonesia will not only become a market but a production and innovation hub counted upon by the world,” Anthony remarked. Anthony emphasised that the diplomacy carried out by President Prabowo ultimately aims to create higher economic growth, open up employment, increase national industrial competitiveness, and strengthen public welfare. He therefore called on all elements of the nation to support the government’s efforts to expand international partnerships that can provide long-term benefits for Indonesia’s economic development.