Armida asked Chinese investors to be involved more in quality investment and mutually beneficial ventures by using more local content.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - National Development Planning Minister and chief of the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) Armida S Alisjahbana said Indonesia needs long term investment from China.

Armida asked Chinese investors to be involved more in quality investment and mutually beneficial ventures by using more local content.

"We hopes that investment would give added value to local content used in the investment," she said when receiving a visit of a group of Chinese business leaders here on Monday.

She also asked investors to pay attention to the welfare of the local people and gave them the priority in job opportunity.

She told the Chinese business leaders, opportunities are wide open for investment in the country .

The business and investment climate and political and economic stability are favorable, she said, adding the country has abundant natural resources.

Growing purchasing power of the people will better guarantee market, she said.

"Bappenas will continue to work together with the Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) to improve investment climate in Indonesia," she said.

Cooperation between the two agencies is aimed at maintaining the good momentum of investment which is currently growing 12.3 percent a year.

Separately, a deputy at BKPM, Himawan, said Chinese investments in Indonesia are relatively small.

Himawan cited, in the first nine months of 2012, Chinese investments in non oil/gas sector were worth less than US$100 million.

"Whereas the investment opportunities are wide open especially after the launch of the program of MP3EI (Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesian Economic Development) which need a total investment of US$500 billion in 22 main sectors," he said.

He cited in corridor I of Sumatra, investment opportunities are open in rubber, palm oil, steel and shipping sectors not to mention the huge Sunda Strait bridge project that will span the sea between Sumatra and Java.

Under the MP3EI program the country is divided in six economic corridors . (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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