"US companies are hoping for an integrated market in Southeast Asia that would make them easy to expand their businesses in the region`s free market," the president of the US-ASEAN Business Council, Alexander C Filedman, said to newsmen at the vice presidential palace here on Wednesday.
He made the statement after together with 73 businessmen of the Council meeting with Vice President Boediono.
He said the businessmen also hoped Indonesia could become the center of halal certification for the ASEAN market as part of the region`s free market integration plan.
Indonesia as the world`s largest Muslim country is expected to become the reference with regard to halal certification, he said.
"Connectivity among ASEAN markets would be needed to provide clear access for US companies," he said.
On the occasion, he reiterated the US businesmen`s commitment to increasing investment in Indonesia which is potential to become the ASEAN free market base.
He however did not tell in detail about targets of expansion and investment hike.
Vice President Boediono`s speaker Yopie Hidayat said the US businessmen had also hoped Indonesia could play a bigger role in creating an integrated free market.
If possible, Indonesia is also expected to become a center of standardization for various household products and daily needs products for Southeast Asian market, he said.
"They wish for uniformity with regard to certification and standardization of products. If the market is one (ASEAN) certification should also be one," he said.
He said the US businessmen also hoped the Indonesian government would discuss first the trade regulation and policy that would be made so that they could anticipate any change that happens.
(Uu.H-YH/S012)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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