Rotterdam's mission arrives next week to boost trade ties

Rotterdam's mission arrives next week to boost trade ties

JAKARTA (JP): Rotterdam's Lord Mayor, A. Peper, will lead a
group of 15 business representatives from the city in the
Netherlands on a five-day trade and investment mission to
Indonesia next week.

Indonesian-Netherlands Association director E. Bouma said
yesterday Peper and the delegation were scheduled to visit
Jakarta and Surabaya, East Java, from Oct. 6 to Oct. 10 and would
hold workshops and meet with officials and local businesses.

"We are looking for promising business opportunities," he
said, adding a lot of Dutch multinationals aimed to invest in
Indonesia as a production base for the Southeast Asian region.

The delegation will look for cooperation with Indonesian
companies to direct exports to Europe through Rotterdam's port,
he said.

Bouma said the delegation would also look for cooperation in
logistic safety environment and the possibility to invest in
shipment port facilities such as cargo handling.

During the visit they are scheduled to meet with the
Coordinating Minister for Production and Distribution, Hartarto,
executives of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Trade and
local companies such as the Bakrie Brothers and Surabaya-based
Maspion.

Peper also plans to attend the inauguration of Jakarta's new
governor on Oct. 6.

The group will also hold a two-day workshop to promote
Rotterdam to Indonesian businesspeople. The workshop will be held
in Jakarta on Oct. 7, and Surabaya on Oct. 9.

Last year Netherlands' investment in Indonesia reached US$1.3
billion, up from $360 million in 1995.

The counselor for Economic and Commercial Affairs, Johannes
Vervloed, said investment was made mostly in agribusiness, food,
chemicals and transportation.

Indonesia's exports shipped through Rotterdam's port reached
$2 billion last year, while Netherlands' exports to Indonesia
reached $1 billion, Vervloed said. (das)