To Indonesia: From China, with love

To Indonesia: From China, with love

Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Ge Jianhua, general manager of Rizhao The East Industrial and Trading Co., Ltd., has come from Shandong province in China to offer his company's products to the Indonesian market. He enthusiastically presents a range of agricultural products, such as peanuts, chilies, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower and watermelon seeds to potential Indonesian buyers.

Ge is one of the exhibitors participating in the Jakarta International China Expo 2003 at Hall A of the Jakarta Fairground in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, from Thursday to Sunday.

Johanna Sri Ambarwati, president director of Trinita Dynamics, who is organizing the exhibition in conjunction with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN), told The Jakarta Post on Friday that 3,000 visitors had already visited the expo by its second day. "We expect at least 5,000 visitors by the end of the expo," she said.

There are 180 exhibitors at the expo, with almost as many businesses from both China and Indonesia participating. Johanna said the Chinese exhibitors were from the three provinces of Xinjiang, Dalian and Shandong.

"We plan to have such an exhibition twice a year. The next one will be in September, with more Chinese exhibitors," she said, mentioning the provinces of Beijing, Guangdong and Shenzhen as future participants.

Liliani Tjandra from the Indonesia-China Business Council (ICBC), established in June 2002, said that there were about 70 businessmen from China in Indonesia currently.

She was optimistic that Sino-Indonesian business relations would improve quickly, and added that a Chinese government official had urged its citizens to broaden their business relations with Indonesia.

"I am optimistic that the Indonesian market still has potential. The population is very large and demand is also very high," said Ge.

He said that he planned to open a representative office soon in Jakarta. "I expect that I can establish one here, at the latest in May. It should be before October, because October is harvest time and we have to get ready before that," he said.

Dwi Retno Hapsari from Swansarindo Mandiri Sentosa, an Indonesian furniture and handicraft exporter, said that she was willing to enter the Chinese market.

"We usually export to Spain and the U.S., and are now looking to expand our market," she said. Her company makes furniture using rattan, teakwood and water hyacinth, or eceng gondok.

Most exhibitors from China offer petroleum, agricultural and automotive products. People can easily find made-in-China bathroom appliances like bathtubs and wash sinks, and other products such as motorcycles, automotive spare parts, canned foods, and much, much more.

Most Indonesian exhibitors offer garments and Indonesian traditional drinks, but visitors can also find other goods at the expo, such as handicrafts, cooking appliances and dining sets.

The exhibitors from China mostly speak Mandarin and a little English, and some had Indonesian-speaking promotion officers. Ge seemed unfamiliar with Indonesia and the same might be expected of other Chinese businessmen.

It should be the Indonesian government's responsibility to familiarize businessmen in China with not only with how business is conducted in Indonesia but also with local customs and traditions.