RI-Australia trade volume to reach US$10b by 2000
RI-Australia trade volume to reach US$10b by 2000
JAKARTA (JP): Australian Prime Minister John Howard expressed
optimism here yesterday that Indonesia and Australia could double
annual two-way trade to about US$10 billion by 2000, as economic
cooperation is growing rapidly.
"Economically, Australia and Indonesia are complementary in
many respects. The changes in our economies are making each a
better partner of the other," Howard noted in his keynote speech
at a business luncheon hosted by the Indonesian Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, and the Indonesia-Australia Business
Council at the Grand Hyatt here.
Statistics show that Australian exports to Indonesia grew by
over 30 percent in 1995-1996, while Indonesia's exports to
Australia rose by 27 percent.
Indonesia saw its trade deficit with Australia increase from
US$1.1 billion in 1994 to $1.4 billion last year. In 1995,
Indonesia's exports to Australia stood at only US$0.4 billion,
while imports amounted to $1.8 billion.
Trade between the two countries has grown in a number of
areas, including processed food, telecommunications hardware,
computer software, construction material, infrastructure items
and medical equipment.
Howard said that 300 Australian companies are currently
operating in Indonesia. Last year, the government approved about
$4.5 billion in new investment proposals by Australian companies.
He recognized that strategic and economic links with Asia are
vital to Australia, and said Australia has particularly high
expectations of the relationship with Indonesia.
"My government is determined to put Australia's economy in
shape to capitalize on the benefits of being part of a region
with the fastest-growing and most competitive economies in the
world. And our relationship with Indonesia is a key part of our
efforts in this regard."
Meanwhile, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, who accompanied
President Soeharto on his tete-a-tete with Howard at Merdeka
Palace here early yesterday, said that Soeharto urged Australia
to purchase planes from the state-owned aircraft company PT
Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara (IPTN).
Moerdiono said that Indonesia is willing to buy Australian
wheat, livestock and meat products.
He said that in response to Soeharto's offer, Howard said the
airplane offer would be considered "in accordance with the other
proposals" but would not be given preferential treatment.
Moerdiono also said that in yesterday's talks, Soeharto and
Howard discussed the forthcoming meeting of the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Subic, the Philippines.
"Both of them expressed their hope that APEC's members will
bring more concrete action plans to the next meeting," Moerdiono
added.
In the afternoon, Howard inaugurated the Australian airline
Ansett's Jakarta office.
Ansett is planning to increase the number of flights between
Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia by six flights per week, a
frequency increase of approximately a third.
On Oct. 27, it will launch the first non-stop flight between
Jakarta and Melbourne, scheduled three times a week, additional
flights between Jakarta and Sydney, between Jakarta and Kuala
Lumpur, and between Denpasar and Darwin.
The inauguration was also attended by Minister of Tourism,
Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave and Australian Ambassador
Alan Taylor. (alo)