JAKARTA (JP): Taiwanese businessman from small and medium
JAKARTA (JP): Taiwanese businessman from small and medium
sized companies, representing the China External Trade Council,
are expected to visit Indonesia at the end of this month.
The China Trade Council is a consortium of private
enterprises.
David Y.S. Tzou, Information Division Director of the Taipei
Economic and Trade Office here, told The Jakarta Post yesterday
that the group's visit indicates the strong commitment of Taiwan
to improve economic cooperation with Indonesia.
This month's trip follows the recent visits of two Taiwanese
trade and investment delegations. The first group consisted of
executives from various government-owned enterprises and was led
by Deputy of the Minister of Economics Lee Shu-jou. The second
were businessmen from the ruling Nationalist party and were led
by Tai-Ying Liu.
According to Tzou, the results of the previous visits were
very satisfactory, although more follow-up work had to be done to
settle the details of future cooperation.
"Since this is the first time the parties have met, nothing is
secure yet. After two or three more meetings -- depending on the
policy of the respective government agencies -- I think we can
foresee more substantial forms of cooperation," he said.
Tzou said that he could not predict when the members of the
delegations would establish joint ventures with Indonesian
partners.
Members of the delegations were quoted yesterday by Kompas as
saying that they planned to work with various state-owned
companies, including PT Krakatau Steel, PN Garam, a salt company,
The State Electricity Company (PLN) and the Pertamina oil
company.
Apart from plans to establish joint training projects designed
for small and medium-scale firms in Indonesia, Taiwan will also
formulate a task force to conceive new Indonesian investment
plans.
According to Lee, the investment climate in Indonesia is
favorable for prospective Taiwanese investors.
"Indonesia just needs to reduce the waiting period for
investors to obtain the permits for doing business," Lee said.
Taiwan's gross national product (GNP) grew by an annual
average of 15.5 percent between 1965 and 1990. Its GNP was
recorded at $229 billion last year.(10)