"We can work together on a program that I think is colossal. It can be an extraordinary breakthrough," Subianto said on Sunday.
He made the remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Integrated Electric Battery Industry Ecosystem by the ANTAM-Industry Battery Corporation (IBC)-China Ningbo Contemporary Brunp Lygend Co Ltd (CBL) Consortium, held at Artha Industrial Hills (AIH) in Karawang District, West Java.
Through this integrated ecosystem, the president said Indonesia can produce renewable and environmentally friendly energy that the entire world aspires to.
The Integrated Electric Vehicle Battery Industry Ecosystem Project consists of six main sub-projects, five of which are in the Feni Haltim Area (FHT) in East Halmahera, North Maluku, and one in Karawang, West Java.
This National Strategic Project (PSN) has an investment value of $5.9 billion and covers 3,023 hectares. The project is expected to absorb 35,000 direct workers, boost local economic growth, and develop 18 multifunctional dock infrastructure projects.
During the event, the president was accompanied by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia.
Lahadalia emphasized that all downstream projects must be fair and aligned with Subianto’s direction.
"I ask the company to ensure this downstreaming benefits not only investors and the central government but also the local community and regional government. Based on the President’s direction, downstreaming must be fair for local entrepreneurs, the community, and the region," he said.
He added that the project symbolizes collaboration between natural resource-rich countries and those with advanced technology and target markets.
"Indonesia is on the right track, starting from battery materials such as nickel, manganese, cobalt, and eventually lithium. We do not yet have lithium nor comprehensive mastery of the main technology. Therefore, we are working with colleagues from China, especially CATL," he affirmed.
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Translator: Martha Herlinawati Simanjuntak
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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