Its is important for Indonesia to improve its competitiveness facing other AEEAN countries such as Thailand and Malaysia, which are very aggressive in preparing themselves for taking advantage of any opportunities coming with the implementation of AEC, head of the Research and Development Center of the Marine and Fisheries Ministry Achmad Poernomo said.
"Otherwise, Indonesia would be good only as a market target and dumping place for the goods and services of other countries," Achmad Pornomo said here on Sunday.
As a result Indonesia will become more consumptive, he added.
Improvement of the competitiveness is more urgent with the present condition of the world economy that relies more on scientific and technology capability, he said.
"Success in economic development is no longer dependent on the natural riches , but more on the success in creating added value," he said.
He cited high mastery and implementation of appropriate technology have made Japan and China economic giants not only in Asia but also in the world.
It has been widely known that many other countries have shown interest in Indonesia more for its potential market, he said, adding in 2050, the countrys population is forecast to swell to around 300 million .
A UN report said in 2050, six countries in the world are predicted to have m a population of more than 300 million each. They include China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the United States.
In 2030, the world population is predicted to reach 8.5 billion , up to 9.7 billion in 2050 and to 11 billion in 2100.
The prediction said India would exceed China in population in the next seven years and Nigeria would be larger than the United States in population to become the third most populous country in the world in the next 35 years.
It also said that half of the world population growth would be concentrated in nine countries -- India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, the United States, Indonesia and Uganda.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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