RI-China relations

RI-China relations

Many foreign investors have distanced themselves from Indonesia, though their presence is required to keep the wheels of the national economy turning. One of the reasons is that the economic situation in Indonesia is no longer conducive.

It is still a big question as to when they will invest in Indonesia again because, according to estimates, Indonesia will still not have recovered from the crisis in 2002.

It is certainly not effective to keep on waiting until they change their attitude. We must take proactive steps to attract foreign investors and that does not always mean those from the western hemisphere.

The recent close and meaningful relationship between Indonesia and China is a step in the right direction, as marked by the visit of President Megawati Soekarnoputri to China and by Prime Minister Zhu Rongji to Indonesia after attending the APEC meeting in Brunei Darussalam last November.

China has become one of the major powers in the world, competing against the United States, Europe and Japan. China's annual exports to Indonesia amounts to US$3.06 billion while it annually imports some $4.4 billion from this country.

With its economic strength, China has become an important power to be reckoned with. On the one hand, China's products could threaten similar products made by Indonesia, while on the other hand, China could become the necessary investor required for infrastructure projects in this country.

Hence, it is time for a more active economic relationship between the two countries.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta