Export opportunities to China are still huge, despite the country`s weakening economy."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesias participation in the special event of the 12th China-ASEAN Expo (CAExpo) in Nanning scheduled on September 18-21, 2015, is expected to boost its exports to China.
It is a traditional agricultural exhibition that has been held for several years to showcase distinctive agro-based products from 10 ASEAN member countries and China to help create more business opportunities.
Well in advance of the opening day of the exhibition, 403 companies, including those from Indonesia, have already applied for 773 booths, nearly 30 percent more than it can accommodate.
It is expected that Indonesias participation at the CAExpo 2015 would boost its exports to China and would improve the image of its products in China and the ASEAN countries.
Dandy S. Iswara, the trade attache at the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing, stated on Wednesday that over 100 Indonesian companies confirmed their participation at the CAExpo 2015 in Nanning, China.
He noted that the Indonesian companies will showcase an array of flagship products such as food and beverages, furniture, home decor, fashion, accessories, and other consumer goods.
"Besides showcasing flagship commodities, the Indonesian companies, through the Indonesia-China Chamber, will highlight the countrys investment potential to Chinese investors," Iswara remarked.
He pointed out that the participation of Indonesian companies at the CAExpo 2015 will help to familiarize them to Chinas huge market potential.
"Export opportunities to China are still huge, despite the countrys weakening economy. But, it is now time for Indonesian companies to increase their exports to China as the potential market is huge as well as the products imported from Indonesia are varied," he affirmed.
Iswara noted that China has so far been one of the largest trade partners of Indonesia, and in 2013, the total value of bilateral trade reached US$52.4 billion, with an average annual growth of 19.6 percent during the period between 2009 and 2013.
During the January-June 2014 period, exports from Indonesia to China were recorded at US$9.3 billion, while in the first semester of 2014, the total value of trade between the two countries was recorded at US$24.5 billion, or a drop of 3.21 percent compared to US$25.4 billion in 2013.
The CAExpo 2015 will strengthen the China-ASEAN maritime cooperation, and therefore, the expo is themed "The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road."
It is a four-day event being held in Nanning, China, to showcase superior-quality products and aims to contribute to the implementation of the China-ASEAN Science & Technology Partnership Program and to give full play to the working mechanisms of the two sides and the China-ASEAN Technology Transfer Center to enhance bilateral cooperation in the areas of modern agriculture, new and renewable energy, biopharmaceutics, and e-information, among others, in the business services industry.
Chinese Deputy Trade Minister Gao Yan remarked that relations and cooperation between China and the ASEAN continue to improve with time.
"ASEAN is the third-largest trade partner of China, while China is the largest trade partner of the ASEAN. Now, China and the ASEAN continue to improve political and mutual trust for a greater common interest," Yan added.
The opening ceremony of the 11th CAExpo last year and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit on September 16, 2014, in the City of Nanning, Guangxi Province, China, was also themed "Jointly Build Maritime Silk Road of the 21st Century."
Last years opening ceremony was graced by the first-ranked Vice Premier of the State Council of the Peoples Republic of China Zhang Gaoli and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong representing Singapore as the Country of Honor.
In his keynote speech, Gaoli highlighted the cultural heritage shared between the ASEAN countries and China.
Based on the principles of good neighborliness and the spirit of friendship, Gaoli reiterated Chinas proposal on jointly building the Maritime Silk Road by strengthening cross-border trade; building sub-regional cooperation; and enhancing people-to-people exchanges, among others, to achieve greater peace, mutual development, and prosperity in the region.
Upgrading the ASEAN-China FTA was also cited as one of the essential foundations for the Regional Economic Comprehensive Partnership (RCEP).
The 11th CAExpo and related events were held on September 16-18, 2014.
The CAExpo at the time was expected to draw 2,330 enterprises, which would showcase their products and services at 4,600 booths.
ASEAN merchandise including food, fruits and agro-based products, jewelry and ornaments, decorative items, and wooden furniture are on display at the CAExpo.
Educational and healthcare services as well as investment projects are also being showcased to further enhance trade in services and investments between the ASEAN Member States (AMS) and China.
CAExpo, China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, and related events are convened annually by the Ministry of Commerce of China, Guangxi-Zhuang Autonomous Region, AMS, and the ASEAN Secretariat.
The 11th CAExpo marks the first year of the Diamond Decade of the ASEAN-China cooperation.
The events are considered to serve as a valuable platform to promote friendship and trade ties between the AMS and China.
(Uu.O001/INE/KR-BSR)
Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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