Chilean Enthusiast with Indonesian Businesses

Santiago,  March  14th  2012  –  At  least  70  companies  and  business  association  attended  the Indonesian  business  forum  and  one-on-one meetings  held  by  the  Indonesian  Ministry  of  Trade incorporated  with  the  Indonesian  Embassy  to  Chile  and  Indonesian  Trade  Promotion  Center (ITPC) today (14/3) in Santiago, Chile. 

Through around 150 one-on-one business meetings, Chilean businesses show their interests on Indonesian’s textile and textile products, food industry and agriculture products, fisheries products, furniture, paper products, and constructions. 

Indonesian  trade  mission  in  Chile  led  by  Director  General  for  National  Export  Development Ministry  of  Trade  of  Republic  of  Indonesia, Gusmardi Bustami, gathered 12 Indonesia’s leading companies  covering  sectors  such  as  agriculture,  fisheries,  manufacture  and  services,  to  meet Chilean businesses. 

 Indonesia’s Ambassador to Chile, Aloysius Lele Madja, said today’s business forum in Chile is the first since 1996. “It is a great opportunity for both countries to expand their business’ networks. It should be held regularly,” he said.  

DG  Bustami  said  business  forum  and  one-on-one  meeting  would  give  a  positive  result  on  the increasing of total trade between Indonesia and Chile.  “The most important thing is to open up communication between the two parties,  to get to know more of potentials offered and this is a great early step towards real business transactions soon to come” said DG Bustami confidently. 

Total  trade  of  Indonesia  and  Chile  in  2011  amounted  to  USD  586.2  million,  an  increase  16.9% compared to 2010, which was valued USD 501.7 million. Indonesia’s export to Chile in 2011 was valued at USD 214 million, an increase of 11% from USD 192.7 million, whereas Indonesia’s imports  from  Chile  in  2011  reached  USD  372.3  million,  an  increase  of  20.5%  from  USD  309 million  in  the  previous  year.  As  a  result,  Indonesia  experienced  a  deficit  in  trade  with  Chile  in 2011, amounting to USD 158.3 million. 

To  all  participants  of  business  forum,  DG  Bustami  elaborates  on  Indonesia’s recent economic growth  and  potentials  with  recent  ratings  upgrade  and  into  the  1  Trillion  Dollar  club.  He illustrated Indonesia’s resilience in going through the crises and that Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, has been succeeded in maintaining its growth to more than 6% last year.  

Further,  DG  Bustami  said  Indonesia  is  keen  to  work  closely  with  Chile  to  develop  business  and investment  in  Indonesia  in  various  sectors,  such  as  agriculture,  animal  husbandry,  fisheries, infrastructure,  transportation,  sustainable  forest  industry,  information  technology  (IT).  “We would like to involve large-scale business players of relevant industries from both countries into the cooperation,” he added. 

After  the  business  forum,  DG  Bustami,  accompanied  by  Ambassador  Madja,  met  with  DG  for International  Economic  Relations,  Ambassador  Jorge  Bunster  Betteley.  Ambassador  Betteley expressed his interest to deepen economic cooperation with Indonesia. 

Indonesia  and  Chile  have  done  a  joint  study  to  see  a  possibility  to  have  a  Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).  “CEPA is not the only a trade agreement to eliminate tariff, but also for capacity building,” said DG Bustami. “But, we are still in process of the result from the joint study,” he added.

DG  Bustami  accompanied  by  Deputy  Chairman  of  Investment  Promotion  from  Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board, Himawan Hariyoga, also met with Concession Coordinator from the  Ministry  of  Public  Works,  Emilio  Pelligrini,  to  exchange  views  on  Public  Private  Partnership (PPP)  infrastructure  development  experienced  by  Chileans  and  hoping  Indonesia  could  further develop on the mechanism.