Putri made these remarks during a meeting with the Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Paul Chan Mo-po, in Jakarta on Wednesday (January 8).
"Hong Kong is a strategic trading partner for Indonesia. We welcome Hong Kong's commitment to enhancing cooperation under the ASEAN-Hong Kong, China Free Trade Agreement (AHKFTA) framework," Putri noted in a statement here on Thursday.
The deputy minister noted that Indonesia is currently preparing to ratify the First Protocol to amend the AHKFTA, aiming to maximize the agreement's benefits.
"We hope that this ratification process can be completed this year so that Indonesia can fully utilize the opportunities under the AHKFTA framework," she stated.
On the same occasion, Putri expressed gratitude for the technical assistance and capacity-building programs offered by Hong Kong through the Economic and Technical Cooperation (ECOTECH) program as part of AHKFTA's implementation.
The deputy minister remarked that this program is instrumental in expanding Indonesian micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) into Hong Kong's market. MSMEs can be encouraged to increase their capacity, carry out digital transformation, and effectively utilize trade promotion.
Furthermore, she highlighted the importance of bolstering trade and sustainable energy cooperation between Indonesia and Hong Kong.
Through the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the Indonesian Ministry of Trade and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) in July 2023, trade relations between the two parties are expected to flourish.
"Hong Kong is a strategic hub for accessing the Southern China market. We hope that the HKTDC can facilitate the Indonesian products' exports, including through the Greater Bay Area," she remarked.
The deputy minister also emphasized Indonesia's commitment to prioritizing clean energy security to support global sustainability.
Indonesia is ready to export batteries and renewable energy solutions to Hong Kong in response to the region's increasing demand for clean energy technology and electric vehicles (EVs).
Moreover, given Hong Kong's ongoing development of its halal tourism market, she expressed optimism that Indonesia could utilize the existing opportunities to meet the market's demand.
"With this cooperation, Indonesia and Hong Kong can strengthen the integration of regional economy and realize inclusive and sustainable growth," she affirmed.
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Translator: Maria Cicilia, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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