Indonesia to upgrade Taiwan office

Indonesia to upgrade Taiwan office

TAIPEI (Reuter): Indonesia, which has no diplomatic ties with
Taiwan, is to upgrade its presence in Taipei because of rapidly
growing business links, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce Chairman
John Oetoro said.

"Because economic relations have risen, I have proposed the
promotion of this chamber of commerce to an Economic and Trade
office, just as Taiwan has in Jakarta," Oetoro said in a
telephone interview earlier this week.

The name change was likely to take effect by the end of the
year, he said.

Taiwan's investment commitment to Indonesia in the first six
months of this year soared to US$2.4 billion, Oetoro said, adding
that his office needed to upgrade because it no longer has
sufficient staff to handle burgeoning economic links.

Taiwan is the third largest foreign investor in Indonesia,
after Japan and Hong Kong, he said.

Oetoro said a private visit to Taiwan by Indonesian President
Soeharto was possible. An unofficial visit to Jakarta by Taiwan
President Lee Teng-hui last February enraged China, which regards
Taiwan as a renegade province and which has diplomatic relations
with Indonesia.

A visit by Soeharto could take place some time after the Asia
Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum's summit in Jakarta
later this year, Oetoro said.