Taiwan invited to take part in maritime development in Indonesia

Indonesia has invited Taiwan to invest in the maritime sector to help bring to reality the governments vision of making the country a world maritime axis.

Director of Investment Planning in the Agribusiness and Natural Resources of the Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Hanung Harimba Rachman said the maritime sector is a priority in the countrys 5 year development program.

“The maritime sector is a priority in our strategic plan for 2015-2019,” Hanung said in a maritime seminar here on Tuesday.

Investment in the maritime sector is open in shipbuilding, fisheries and cold storage sectors, he added.

Other areas open for investment in Indonesia by Taiwan include in infrastructure sector such as seaport and deep sea energy development, he said.

“In January 2016, the government issued a policy to accelerate implementation of national strategic projects with 225 projects offered under the scheme of government private cooperation,” he said.

Hanung said participation of Taiwan in investment is important for Indonesia, in its program to enter the phase of industrialization.

Taiwan is known to be strong in the manufacturing industry as it has high technology, he added.

“Indonesia wants to develop its maritime sector with high technology,” he said.

Representative of Taipei Economic and Trade Office (TETO) in Indonesia Liang Jen Chang said he welcomed Indonesian offer for cooperation in the maritime sector.

“Taiwan and Indonesia already have close relations for years , but the good relations are no longer enough with the changing condition especially in the maritime sector,” Chang said.

Based on data at BKPM, Taiwan is among major foreign investors in the country . In the first half of 2016, Taiwan investors implemented US$816 million worth of projects in paper industry and US$400 million in metal industry in Indonesi8a.