Bayu expressed worry the flow of products from China into the country would reduce the Indonesian public`s interest in local products, something that could in turn discourage Indonesian producers` productivity and creativity.
Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - Indonesia is worried about the possibility of an inordinate increase in the flow of Chinese products into the country following a decline in China`s exports to the US and Europe due to the global crisis.

Deputy Trade Minister Bayu Krisnamurthi said here on Tuesday the world economy was weakening and demand from the US and Europe for Chinese products will drop prompting China to choose Indonesia as an alternative market for its products.

He made the statement after opening an East Indonesian Region Export Forum which is among other things to serve as a meeting for businessmen to exchange information on marketing opportunities in eastern Indonesia. It is also being attended by trade attaches from China and South Korea.

Bayu expressed worry the flow of products from China into the country would reduce the Indonesian public`s interest in local products, something that could in turn discourage Indonesian producers` productivity and creativity.

Therefore, he called for anticipatory measures on Indonesia-China trade while national industry must safeguard the domestic market as the second biggest after China and India.

He said Indonesia`s market had even covered 50 percent of total ASEAN market. He said the biggest potential threat would come from China as the strongest industrial country and biggest exporter to the US and Europe.

Bayu said the government must immediately protect the market and reduce the flow of imported goods to the domestic market through among others anti-dumping and safeguard regulations and implementation of the Indonesia National Standard (SNI).

He said a number of countries had made efforts to protect their markets with safeguards such as Turkey that had filed dumping lawsuits on 20 Indonesian products.

Turkey had imposed a safeguard by stopping the circulation of those products while the lawsuit was being processed.

"So, we must protect so that it won`t happen. If Chinese products flood the country it will be a big problem," he said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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