RI mission visits Korea, China

JAKARTA (JP): An Indonesian trade mission departed for China and South Korea on Sunday for a week-long visit to explore new export opportunities in the two countries.

The National Agency for Export Development said here on Saturday that the mission comprising 16 representatives of non- oil export companies would be in China until Wednesday before visiting South Korea.

Lily Rosyana, the head of the Asian department at the agency, said that the businesspeople would have some business meetings during their trip to the two countries.

"Both China and South Korea are Indonesia's main non-oil export destinations," Lily said in a statement late last week.

Indonesia's exports to both countries include paper, textiles, rubber, cocoa, furniture, coffee and wooden products.

The country's non-oil exports to China totaled US$1.7 trillion last year, or a 21 percent increase from the $1.4 trillion of the previous year. Indonesia's non-oil exports to South Korea increased by 15 percent to $1.5 trillion last year, from $1.3 in 1999.

Lily said that the agency would send another trade mission to take part in the Hong Kong Housewares Fair from April 17 to 20, and the Hong Kong Gifts and Premium Fair from April 24 to 27.(03)