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.