Top brands including H&M, Zara to boycott Bangladesh garment summit

Yahoo - AFP, February 22, 2017

H&M, C&A, Tchibo and Inditex which owns Zara -- all top clients of Bangladesh's
$30-billion garment industry -- have pulled out of the Dhaka Apparel Summit

Leading fashion brands including H&M and Zara will boycott a key industry conference in Bangladesh in support of garment workers who have been sacked, hunted or jailed for participating in wage strikes, the companies said Wednesday.

H&M, C&A, Tchibo and Inditex which owns Zara -- all top clients of Bangladesh's $30-billion garment industry -- have pulled out of the Dhaka Apparel Summit, the signature annual event in the global textile hub, scheduled for Saturday.

The move follows strikes in December when tens of thousands of garment workers in the industrial town of Ashualia staged mass protests demanding a three-fold hike in pay, which can run as low as $68 a month.

Dutch clothing brand C&A said, "C&A together with other apparel brands, including H&M and Inditex decided not to participate in the BGMEA Dhaka Apparel Summit."

"We strongly encourage the Government of Bangladesh to take immediate steps to ensure the protection of the workers' rights, with special attention to the legitimate representatives of the workers who have been arrested," C&A spokesman Thorsten Rolfes told AFP.

A spokesman for Swedish apparel giant H&M confirmed the boycott.

"H&M believes that attending the Dhaka Apparel Summit would create confusion and send the wrong signals regarding our commitment to freedom of association and that the ongoing situation must be peacefully resolved," spokesman Iñigo Sáenz Maestre said.

The strike, which lasted for a little over two weeks, was squashed, with some 1,600 employees sacked and 34 arrested, while cases alleging burglary, arson, vandalism and extortion, among other charges, were filed against more than 1,500 workers.

Last week union leaders said the workers were "living in constant fear of being arrested as the police hunt those who were involved in the strikes".

The summit is hosted by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), an industry body that represents the country's 4,500 clothing factories, and features Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as its keynote speaker.

BGMEA president Siddiqur Rahman told AFP that they "did not get any communication from any brand not attending the summit".

International rights group Clean Clothes Campaign welcomed the brands' decision to withdraw participation and said it would be "a major embarrassment" for the government and the organisers.

CCC spokeswoman Mirjam van Heugten said, "Unless all detainees are released, unsubstantiated charges are dropped, and other acts of intimidation and harassment of trade unions are stopped... (the brands) cannot credibly participate in a summit on "sustainable growth" of the industry."

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Indonesian Poor to Receive Rp 14 Trillion in Aid Ahead of Fuel Hike

Jokowi, Putin Sign Five Agreements to Strengthen Bilateral Ties

Jakarta Globe, Edo Karensa, May 19, 2016

Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Russian President Vladimir Putin
 signed five agreements to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries on
Wednesday (18/05).(Reuters Photo/Kirill Kudryavtsev) 

Jakarta. Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Russian President Vladimir Putin have signed five agreements to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries on Wednesday (18/05).

The agreements were signed by both leaders during a bilateral meeting at President Putin's official residence in the resort city of Sochi in Southern Russia.

They include bilateral cooperations on defense, national and foreign affairs archives, culture as well as joint efforts to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities.

“President Putin and I have agreed to strengthen our defense cooperation. We also discussed further cooperations on technology transfer, joint production, training and education,” Jokowi said, as quoted by the State Palace website.

Jokowi also said Indonesia and Russia will continue existing cooperation to combat terrorism and boost information exchanges in intelligent operations.

“We've had good coordination between the two countries to prevent terror threats, and now we have agreed to strengthen defense institutions in both countries,” Putin said.

In culture and education affairs, President Putin promised to grant 100 scholarships to Indonesian students next year, which will be a great addition to the 100 Indonesians already studying in Rusia.

The Indonesian president is visiting Rusia to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Russia Summit 2016 on May 17-20, also in Sochi. He has invited President Putin to make a return visit to Indonesia.

Asean Establishes Landmark Economic and Security Bloc

Jakarta Globe, Trinna Leong, November 22, 2015

Asean leaders joined China's Premier Li Keqiang at the summit in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia. (AFP Photo/Fred Dufour)

Kuala Lumpur. Southeast Asian nations on Sunday established a formal community that attempts to create freer movement of trade and capital in an area of 625 million people with a combined economic output of $2.6 trillion.

The community declaration was signed by leaders of the 10- member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in Kuala Lumpur, this year's host of the group's annual summit.

Twelve years in the making, the Asean community is a landmark in the 48-year history of a group founded at the height of the Cold War as an anti-communist bulwark.

The Asean Community includes a political, security and socio-cultural dimension in a region with governments ranging from communist in Vietnam and quasi-military in Myanmar to the kingdom of Brunei and the boisterous democracy of the Philippines.

But it is the economic community that offers the most concrete opportunities for integration in a region whose combined gross domestic product (GDP) would make it the world's seventh-largest economy.

In practice, Asean has already virtually eliminated tariff barriers among the 10 countries, said Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, the summit host, at the signing ceremony. "We now have to ensure that we create a truly single market and production base, with freer movement of goods and services."

At the closing news conference, however, he said Asean had no specific deadline for achieving zero tariffs, but would aim for "meaningful deliverables that can be done every year when we meet at the Asean summit."

The combined GDP of the Asean economies is expected to grow from $2.6 trillion to $4.7 trillion by 2020, Najib said, and could become the world's fourth-largest economy as a bloc as early as 2030.

The countries aim to harmonize economic strategies, recognize each other's professional qualifications and consult more closely on macroeconomic and financial policies.

They have also agreed to enhance the connectivity of their transportation infrastructure and communications, better facilitate electronic transactions, integrate industries to promote regional sourcing, and enhance private-sector involvement in the economy.

Eight groups of professionals will be able to work more easily throughout the region: engineers, architects, nurses, doctors, dentists, accountants, surveyors and tourism professionals.

Asean groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Reuters

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"Message for South America" - Nov 16, 2015 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll) - New


"The End of History" -  Nov 20, 2010 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll)

" ... South America and the New Energy

South America is starting to consider the same thing. My partner was just there and I allowed him to see the energy of the potential future in that land.

I would like to paint history for you regarding South America. There was a time when every single country had a dictator. Less than 15 years ago, they had failing economies and currencies that were worthless. Trouble and strife and killings were the norm. Marauding drug lords openly killed in the streets and corruption was everywhere. Even the politicians created fear and many disappeared overnight, never to be seen again. Today it isn't that way. Today, there is an ongoing stability as one country after another brings a new, positive, stable energy to their cultures. So, without a concentrated effort by any kind of multi-national leadership or direction, how could this have changed in only 15 years?

Within the entire continent, there's only one dictator left. What's happening? If you think that's amazing, there is a move afoot that you're not going to hear about yet. But they're discussing it right now, so let me tell you what they're thinking. "What would happen if we took these countries and eliminated the borders?" Sound familiar? They're talking about it. In back rooms where nobody is reporting it, they're saying, "What about a plan of eventually having one currency from the top of Columbia to the bottom of Chile? And we would be strong and we would be unified." And dear ones, I'm here to tell you, that it's going to work, and it might not take 50 years. Soon the one dictator will be gone, and the unification can begin.

There's a shift happening on this planet ...."

Indonesia Wants to Use Yuan for Trades in Asean

Jakarta Globe, 2 August 2015

Jakarta. Indonesia is proposing the use of China's yuan for trade and investment purposes in Asean‎ countries in a bid to counter further impacts from the stronger US dollar against currencies in the region, a minister said on Tuesday.

The 10 members of the Asean region, including Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, mostly use US dollars for international trade. But a strengthening greenback has made imports and servicing debt more expensive, pushing some to consider turning to the yuan.

"We want to push [the use of the yuan] when Indonesia trades with China in particular," Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said at the House of Representatives. "Bank Indonesia is preparing the mechanism so it will be attractive for traders."

Trade Minister Thomas Lembong also brought up the issue on Monday after a meeting with the president.

He said Indonesia should push harder for broader use of the Chinese currency in the region because Asean economies were "much more in tune" with China.

The rupiah traded at an average of 14,700 per US dollar on Monday morning, its weakest point since 1998, according to the counter price at state-owned Bank Rakyat Indonesia. It has lost about 13 percent of its value against the dollar this year.

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"The U in Kundalini"- Oct 18, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) - (Subjects: Kundalini, Unification, EU, Nobel Peace Prize 2012, Middle East, South America, Only 5 Currencies on Earth, Old Souls, Duality will dismiss, 3D Humanity will melt with Multi dimensional higher self, Global Unity… etc.)

Joko Calls on British Businesses to Diversify in Indonesia as He Meets With PM Cameron

Jakarta Globe, Ezra Sihite & Novy Lumanauw, Jul 27, 2015

British Prime Minister David Cameron, left, with Indonesian President Joko Widodo
 meet at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, on Monday. (Reuters Photo/Darren Whiteside)

Jakarta. President Joko Widodo asked Britain to diversify its businesses in Indonesia and lower import duties for Indonesian products entering the United Kingdom during his bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron in Jakarta on Monday.

Joko told Cameron he welcomed Britain’s increased investments in Indonesia, which rose 34 percent last year, but added he wished Indonesia’s fifth largest foreign investor to diversify its range of businesses in the archipelago.

“I want to encourage Britain to diversify its investment in infrastructure development, including [for the construction] of sea ports, toll roads, railways, power plants and the maritime industry. Britain has vast experiences,” said Joko, who has repeatedly invited foreign nations to invest more in Indonesia to support his ambitious infrastructure development projects — including in the maritime sector.

“I also hope that Britain will impose lower import duties for Indonesian products, such as timber, clothing, coffee and fishery products,” he added.

Joko said Indonesia was committed to continually improving its economic partnership with Britain.

The Indonesian president also expressed his wish that Britain would reciprocate Indonesia’s visa-free policy applicable to British visitors.

“We hope that there will be a visa-free facility for Indonesian citizens [going to] Britain. This issue has been discussed during limited meetings,” Joko said.

Cameron in an e-mail interview with the Jakarta Globe on Sunday said his government would offer £1 billion ($1.55 billion) of credit financing for infrastructure projects in Indonesia.

A press statement from the British Embassy in Jakarta said the fund would be made available through Britain’s export guarantee scheme.

“This financing could pave the way for growth of £200 million worth of exports to UK,” the statement says.

It adds that projects “up for grabs” include a sewage treatment system in Jakarta worth £400 million and geothermal power projects worth £66 million.

Moazzam Malik, the British Ambassador for Indonesia, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and Timor Leste, on Sunday said that Britain was keen to offer Indonesia its vast expertise in a number of areas — specifically in maritime infrastructure development and maritime defense, satellite technology and public-private partnerships to finance infrastructure projects.

Cameron himself told the Globe in the e-mail interview: “The UK shares a common history as a maritime nation and while we may only have hundreds of islands compared to 17,000 here, we do understand the challenges that this presents and we want to share our experience and expertise to help develop this vital sector.”

“We have a wealth of experience in using advanced technology to monitor and manage our national waters and we are also a world leader in developing marine energy.”

The British prime minister is accompanied by a delegation of leaders of 30 prominent British brands in his two-day visit to Jakarta.

Among them are Airbus Group UK president Paul Kahn, Lloyd’s of London chairman John Nelson, Rolls-Royce international director Ann Cormack, Surrey Satellite Technology group executive chairman Martin Sweeting and UK Higher Educational Unit director Vivienne Stern.

Cameron is slated to attend a business forum with the Indonesian business community in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Jakarta is the prime minister’s first stop in his four-day tour of Southeast Asia which will include Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia. Cameron had visited Indonesia once before, in 2012 where he met with then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The Southeast Asian tour is Cameron’s first foreign visit outside Europe after his re-election in May.

The British Embassy says the tour is part of the British government’s efforts to increase the country’s exports to £1 trillion a year and to get 100,000 more British companies exporting by 2020.

“The prime minister is taking the first trade mission of the new parliament to a region [Southeast Asia] forecast to grow at 5 percent this year and with potential to unlock huge opportunities for jobs and growth in the UK,” the embassy says in the statement.

It adds that while the focus of the trip is about “opening doors” to future trade, deals worth over £750 million are expected to be sealed by the end of the trip.

On EU-Asean free trade

Aside from boosting bilateral trade, Cameron will also put his weight behind an European Union-Asean deal. He will call for the EU and Asean to jump start negotiations talks on a free trade agreement during his scheduled visit to the Asean secretariat in Jakarta on Monday evening, after the meeting with Joko.

A deal between these two trading blocs has the potential to benefit the British economy by £3 billion every year — nearly £120 per household — “by creating one of the biggest free trade areas in the world with combined GDP of over $20 trillion,” the press statement says.

Speaking ahead of the Southeast Asian tour, Cameron said Britain could open up more markets for its businesses by leveraging the power of the EU’s single market with 500 million consumers to secure “bold, ambitious trade deals with these fastest, growing economies.”

“The EU has shown this can be done with the trade agreement with Singapore and the recent breakthrough in talks with Vietnam but an EU-Asean trade deal would really turbo charge growth across the single market,” the prime minister was quoted as saying in the statement.

He added he would make the case in discussions with Asean Secretary General Le Luong Minh.

Cameron’s call comes as Asean countries prepare to establish an economic community by the end of this year.

The statement from the British Embassy notes that Australia, Japan and China “are already ahead of the game,” having implemented free trade deals with the Southeast Asian bloc.

“As the largest foreign investor in Asean, the EU should seize on this position to secure a new trade deal,”  it says.

To support Britain’s objectives in the region, Cameron has appointed a trade envoy specifically for the Asean Economic Community, Richard Graham.

Graham, who will join the prime minister for talks with Le, will take on the role alongside his existing role as trade envoy to Indonesia.

Joko on his part said Indonesia would restart this year its talks with the EU concerning Indonesia-EU comprehensive economic partnership agreement.

US Companies Eying More Than $1b Investment in Indonesia

Jakarta Globe, Arientha Primanita, May 04, 2015

Workers clean the windows of an office building in Central Jakarta on
April 23, 2015. (Antara Photo/Andika Wahyu)

Jakarta. A delegation of top executives from 10 major US companies arrived in Jakarta on Monday, as they seek to forge stronger business relationships in Indonesia and are collectively considering more than $1 billion in new investment over the next three to five years.

US-Asean Business council, the organizer of the visit, said in a statement on Monday that the envoy is scheduled to meet government officials and business leaders in Indonesia — including President Joko Widodo; the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Sofyan Djlail; and chairman of the Indonesian Investment Coordination Board (BKPM) Franky Sibarani.

They are also scheduled to meet Lim Hong Hin deputy secretary general if the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations; the chairman of the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo), Hariyadi Sukamdani; and senior leaders of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (Kadin).

The delegation includes companies from Ace Group, Cigna, the Coca-Cola Company, DuPont, Intel, Medtronic, Monsanto, and Procter & Gamble, of which all have a business presence in Indonesia.

“The companies on the delegation have substantial investments in Indonesia which support millions of jobs, and are collectively planning or considering more than $1 billion in new investment in the next 3-5 years,” US-Asean Business council said in the statement.

Most of the US investment in Indonesia has been from large oil and gas exploration firms such as Chevron and ExxonMobil, and diversity of investment into other sectors from US companies in the Indonesian economy has been small by comparison.

March Mealy, vice president for Policy at the US-Asean Business Council, praised Joko’s administration for its impressive slate of economic reform achievements in the first semester since taking office.

He said Joko’s economic policies — such as the fuel subsidy reduction; a one-stop shop for licensing launched in January; and the revised State Budget for 2015 that gave room for more infrastructure and social spending — made notable differences in the business environment.

“We look forward to continuing to work together on other key issue areas to enhance the domestic business environment and unleash Indonesia’s full trade and investment potential,” Mealy said in the statement.

Prakash Mallya, managing director for Southeast Asia at Intel, said the company believes that technology is the great equalizer leading to positive impacts for businesses, people and society.

“As Indonesia embarks its journey on a new economic frontier, Intel together with US-Asean Business Council is committed to accelerate key government programs on e-education, e-government, e-health, e-logistic, e-procurement as well as overall implementation of National Broadband Plan,” he said.

The companies of the US-Asean Business Council also gave their support for regional integration through the Asean Economic Community set to launch at the end of this year.

Patrick Graham, chief executive officer of the Asia-Pacific region for insurance company Cigna, said that companies are willing to enable greater regional connectivity and integration to build sustainable business, communities and governments that meet the challenging needs and opportunities present in the region.

“I am confident that this Mission will bring to the forefront the key priorities of the private sector to key leaders in the region and set the stage for even more fruitful partnerships and engagement in years to come,” Graham said

GlobeAsia

Beijing encourages more companies to build Indonesia's infrastructure

Want China Times, Xinhua 2015-04-24

Xi Jinping shakes hands with Indonesian finance minister Bambang
Brodjonegoro at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, April 21.
(Photo/Xinhua)

President Xi Jinping in China said on Wednesday that Beijing will encourage more companies to participate in infrastructure construction and operations in Indonesia.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with Indonesian president Joko Widodo in Jakarta during the two-day Asian-African leaders' meeting held here. He also promised to encourage more Chinese citizens to travel to Indonesia.

Widodo welcomed Xi's proposal to increase investment in Indonesia's infrastructure. The two presidents witnessed the signing of cooperation documents for a high-speed rail project after the meeting

Noting that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the Bandung Conference, Xi said the conference is of epoch-making significance and he is willing to work with Widodo to inherit and carry forward the Bandung Spirit, and strengthen solidarity, friendship and cooperation among developing countries.

Stressing that this year also marks 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Indonesia, Xi said following Widodo's successful visit to China last month, the two countries should work together to translate the consensus reached into tangible results.

China and Indonesia should maintain the good momentum of close communication at all levels to step up the implementation of agreements already reached between the two countries, he said.

He urged the two countries to achieve trade balance through a comprehensive approach and well implemented bilateral currency swap agreement.

China will continue to support the building of ASEAN community, he said, pledging that China will support ASEAN to play a leading role in the regional cooperation of Southeast Asia.

Widodo welcomed Xi to attend the Asian-African summit and the 60th anniversary of the Bandung Conference in Indonesia.

He said Indonesia hopes to expand cooperation with China in various fields and is willing to discuss the opportunities for cooperation brought by China's "21st Century Maritime Silk Road" initiative and Indonesia's new development strategy.

The Asian-African leaders' meeting opened here Wednesday with the aim of carrying on the Bandung Spirit and promoting common development of the two vibrant continents.

Xi arrived in Indonesia late Tuesday for the summit and commemorative activities for the historic 1955 Bandung Conference.

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ASEAN has pivotal role in Beijing's regional integration plans

Want China Times, Staff Reporter 2015-03-29

Xi Jinping, right, meets President Joko Widodo of Indonesia at the Great
Hall of the People in Beijing, March 26. (Photo/Xinhua)

The 2015 Boao Forum for Asia, currently underway in China's southern island province of Hainan under the theme "Asia's New Future: Towards a Community of Common Destiny," has revealed a good deal about China's continuing role in forming this community and the basis on which it can be established, according to Duowei News, an outlet run by overseas Chinese.

The sub-forums held at the forum laid out China's blueprint for the community, according to the website.

There have been six main topics of discussion at this year's forum, including macroeconomic policy, regional cooperation, industrial transformation, political security and social welfare, with 77 formal discussion sessions. There has also been much talk of China's Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) initiative, as well as the New Silk Road Economic Belt, the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road plans, East Asian economic integration and the much touted "new normal" for China's economy.

This year's Boao Forum has coincided with the end of the two sessions in China–the annual meetings of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference–and the deadline for application to be a founding member of the AIIB on March 31. China has taken advantage of this convenient timing to discuss these concepts at length. In the middle of all the discussion centered on China however, the forum also played host to a discussion session entitled "ASEAN Community: A New Starting Point for Integration" at which foreign minister Wang Yi gave a speech. This has led many to speculate on Beijing's reasons for lending such importance to this session.

Quiet changes at the Boao Forum

That China was willing to give the floor to this session, during such a high-profile diplomatic event for the country, suggests that ASEAN integration is key to China's interests in the region and to its own trade initiatives.

Asia accounts for 60% of the world's population and according to an estimate by the Asian Development Bank, by 2050, Asia will make up 51% of the global GDP. However, it is not yet clear how regional integration will play out through this time frame. In recent decades Asia has witnessed unprecedented economic growth, increased regional trade and direct investment as well as economic and social exchanges between countries. This is not just on the economic front, but also in terms of security, in dealing with terrorism and pirates. Political and military cooperation is also starting to make headway, according to Duowei.

Compared with Europe, Africa or South America, however, Asia has traditionally been held back by geographical issues, which have prevented institutionalized cooperation, with only informal meetings between leaders and ministerial-level summits. There is also a need for an effective negotiation mechanism in Asia. Beijing clearly hopes that its new initiatives can resolve this.

At the national level, the ten countries that make up ASEAN have undergone different paths of political, cultural and economic development, but as an organization, they make up a collective of 600 million people, linked by river ways as well as maritime and overland routes, stretching through Eurasia to the Pacific. This is of strategic importance for China's planned "Belt and Road" initiative, as ASEAN countries serve as the gateway to the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. ASEAN countries were also among the earliest initiators of economic integration in Asia, setting out first from preferential trade conditions, to free trade agreements, until they eventually formed an economic community.

This is not the first time Beijing has dedicated a platform to talks between ASEAN countries. Beijing sees ASEAN as a testing ground for its ambitions to implement its strategic entry into Eurasia and so has played a key role in facilitating integration within the organization. From 1991 onward, after then foreign minister Qian Qichen visited the 24th ASEAN leaders' summit as a guest at the invite of host country Malaysia, China's cooperative relationship with the organization began in earnest. This led to regional economic cooperation initiatives surrounding the Mekong river and the Gulf of Tonkin and China subsequently played a role in facilitating negotiations over the ASEAN Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and its predecessor.

President Xi Jinping invited the Indonesian president, Joko Widodo, on a state visit on the eve of the forum from March 25-28. On March 26 the two leaders issued a joint statement announcing that they would strengthen the strategic partnership between their countries. The joint statement also reaffirmed Beijing's support for ASEAN's role in regional integration as well as for the ASEAN+3 mechanism - talks between ASEAN countries, South Korea, China and Japan. As Indonesia is often perceived as the major driver behind ASEAN, the move is likely another sign of the importance Beijing is placing on the organization.

The idea of a "Community of Destiny" was first mentioned in a report from the 18th CPC National Congress in November 2012. The concept also featured in Xi's speech at the 2013 Boao Forum, held in April of that year. Xi also mentioned the concept while meeting with Laotian president Choummaly Sayasone in August of 2013 and in a speech at the Indonesian congress in September of the same year. On each occasion he stressed the importance of ASEAN to this community of destiny.

Li Keqiang, right, meets Joko Widodo at the Great Hall of the

People in Beijing, March 27. (Photo/Xinhua)

Related Article:

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EU Chief Van Rompuy Urges Transparency During Indonesian Visit

Jakarta Globe, Nov 21, 2014

This handout photo taken and released on Nov. 19, 2014 by the Presidential
Palace shows President Joko Widodo, right, walking with European Council
 President Herman Van Rompuy, left, following their bilateral meeting at the
palace in Jakarta. (AFP Photo/Presidential Palace/Cahyo Sasmito)

Jakarta. Visiting European Union chief Herman Van Rompuy has praised the progress of Indonesia’s democracy and its economic development, and says the EU can offer much more to Indonesia than the current level of cooperation.

In his speech at the opening of the 5th Europe-Indonesia Business Dialogue in Jakarta on Wednesday, Van Rompuy, the EU Council president, told the gathering that Indonesia had indeed undergone an impressive transformation since democratic and political reforms were initiated more than 15 years ago, and that the country’s robust economic growth and social development bore testimony to this.

He said that the energy of President Joko Widodo and his administration reflected the aspirations of a young and growing Indonesian population that looked to the future with great hope.

“I see great potential for expanding cooperation over the next five years between the new Indonesian government and the European Union,” Van Rompuy said.

“I was particularly interested this morning to hear President Joko talk of his vision for Indonesia as a maritime axis, and I feel that Europe, much of whose trade goes by the open seas, not least passing through the Indonesian archipelago, has much in common with you on this agenda.”

He said the EU was also interested in Joko’s plans for upgrading Indonesia’s infrastructure, for improving the business climate, and for cutting the red tape that can stop projects from getting under way.

“More streamlined and transparent procedures will certainly bring more European investment in this sector,” Van Rompuy said.

European companies are increasingly interested in Indonesia, and in 2013 foreign direct investment from the EU reached a record high of $2.4 billion, according to Van Rompuy. “The EU is the second-biggest investor in Indonesia this year,” he added.

But in spite of all these successes, Van Rumpuy said Indonesia was not yet realizing the full potential of the scale that European business had to offer.

“The EU’s trade with Indonesia is healthy, yet it is well below our trade with other smaller countries in the region, such as Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. This is despite the fact that Indonesia is by far the largest economy in Asean [Association of Southeast Asian Nations], representing around 40 percent of total Asean GDP and population. We can do better.”

From 2004 to 2011, Indonesia received 12 percent of all EU investment flowing into Asean, and 0.4 percent of total FDI outflows from the EU to the world in 2011.

Deepening trade and investment links with the world’s largest trading bloc — the EU — will bring substantial gains to Indonesia, he said.

He said a recent study showed that a comprehensive economic agreement between the EU and Indonesia would boost our overall trade and facilitate more FDI from the EU, which in turn would help develop Indonesia into the manufacturing hub of Asean.

“My message here is that European companies stand ready to increase their already considerable investments in Indonesia, provided that the business climate is welcoming, open and transparent.”

Chinese Ambassador: Maritime Links Key in Boosting Ties With Indonesia

Xie Feng speaks at length about his thoughts on President Joko Widodo, the historic treatment of ethnic Chinese, and the future of bilateral relations as both countries pursue parallel visions

Jakarta Globe, Nov 13, 2014

President Joko Widodo (left) walks with China’s President Xi Jinping after
 arriving to take part in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders
 meeting at Yanqi Lake, north of Beijing on Tuesday. (AFP Photo/Greg Baker)

On the eve of President Joko Widodo’s departure for Beijing to attend this week’s APEC Summit and meet a number of world leaders, including China’s President Xi Jinping, the Chinese ambassador to Indonesia, Xie Feng, was interviewed by the Chinese newspaper Global Times.

In the interview, Ambassador Xie, who has been in the country since June, talked about his impression of Indonesia, his interaction with the new president, economic ties between China and Indonesia, and the correlation between Jokowi’s vision of a “maritime axis” and President Xi’s plan to build a “21st-centurty maritime silk road.”

With permission, the Jakarta Globe is republishing the interview, which first appeared on Nov. 6. It was edited for style only.

Global Times: Global media said that Mr. Joko Widodo won voters’ support because he’s a ‘People’s President.’ After your arrival in Jakarta, have you had any contact with him and what are your impressions about him?

Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng. (Photo
 courtesy of the Embassy of the People’s
 Republic of China)

Ambassador Xie: In less than a decade, Mr. Joko Widodo’s journey from being a furniture businessman to president is truly a political miracle in Indonesia and even worldwide. In my first week as ambassador, I had the honor of meeting with him briefly and was deeply impressed by his sincerity, easy-going style and kindness. After that I had two in-depth conversations with him and paid courtesy calls on him on several occasions with visiting Chinese delegations after he won the presidency. I believe President Joko Widodo is a firm, visionary, pro-people and down-to-earth leader, with a clear sense of purpose. His policy agenda has a lot in common with that of Chinese leaders. These include governance in the interest of people, pushing forward reform, developing economy, improving public well-being and fighting corruption. The Indonesian people have quite high expectations for him.

President Joko Widodo told me that he much values the face-to-face communications with the public. He believes such communications should happen day in and day out and this is the only way to understand what people need. That’s why he frequently visits traditional markets, rural villages and street food vendors to talk to and eat together with people. In the Javanese language, there is a specific word to describe his work style, blusukan. It means impromptu visit, which is akin to what we call “reach out to the grassroots.”

Global Times: What does President Joko Widodo’s trip to China mean to the APEC Summit and China-Indonesia relations?

Ambassador Xie: Indonesia was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with China. In 1950s, China, Indonesia and other Asian and African countries initiated the Bandung Spirit. At the heart of it is peaceful coexistence, seeking common ground and shelving differences. The Bandung Spirit remains a significant norm in state-to-state relations today. China today is Indonesia’s largest trading partner, its No. 1 source of overseas tourists and a major destination for Indonesian students. In October last year, President Xi Jinping paid a successful state visit to Indonesia. He and Indonesian leaders agreed to lift the China-Indonesia relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership. This has laid a solid foundation and mapped out a blueprint for the long-run development of our bilateral relations. In 2014, Indonesia’s general elections year, our bilateral relations have had a smooth transition and got off to a good start. President Joko Widodo attaches great importance to China-Indonesia relations. He has chosen China for his first overseas visit after inauguration.

Indonesia was the birth place of APEC Bogor Goals. Last year, Indonesia hosted its second APEC Summit in 20 years, and raised three major topics including achieving the Bogor Goals, promoting sustainable and equitable growth and improving connectivity. China actively echoed and supported these ambitions. We look forward to closer coordination and cooperation with Indonesia for positive outcomes out of this year’s APEC Summit, including launching the process of the Asia Pacific Free Trade Area (FTAAP), promoting innovative development, economic reform and growth, and improving connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region.

Global Times: It’s almost five months since your arrival in Jakarta. Can you share with us some of your impressions about Indonesia?

Ambassador Xie: I’ve been deeply impressed by Indonesia in many ways.

First, Indonesia is a big country with rich resource endowment. Indonesia has around 250 million population. It is the world’s largest archipelagic state, with over 17,000 islands. It takes 9 hours to fly from its east to west. That’s roughly the distance between London and Tehran. Indonesia has abundant natural resources and is known as the Emerald of the Equator. My Indonesian friends often say with great pride that ‘please don’t ask what we have, just ask what we don’t have!’

Second, diversity and inclusiveness. Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country in the world, yet it’s also known for its ethnic and cultural diversity. We Chinese value ‘harmony but not uniformity.’ In the same vein, the Indonesian people believe in ‘unity in diversity.’

Meanwhile, Indonesia has around 20 million Chinese Indonesians, that’s the largest ethnic Chinese community outside China. Over the past hundreds of years, generations of Chinese migrants sailed to Indonesia. They settled down and took root in this country. They survived the tribulations yet always worked hard to pursue a better life. Today, many of them have built a successful career and become social elites. They have made major contribution to Indonesia’s economic, social development and cultural prosperity, and have acted as a unique bridge in promoting China-Indonesia friendly exchanges and cooperation. Since 1998, successive Indonesian governments have made active efforts to improve the social status of Chinese Indonesians and promote ethnic harmony. In 2000, President Abdurrahman Wahid lifted the ban on Chinese culture and customs. In 2002, President Megawati Soekarnoputri announced the Chinese Spring Festival as a public holiday in Indonesia. In 2006, the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) passed a new law on citizenship, annulling the previous legal distinction between native and non-native Indonesians. It marked an end to many discriminatory policies against Chinese Indonesians. In March this year, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono repealed the discriminatory term for the Chinese Indonesians through legislation and adopted ‘Tiongkok’ and ‘Tionghoa’ to refer to China and Chinese Indonesians respectively. This past August, Indonesia’s first Museum on Hakka history and culture was completed. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and I attended the opening ceremony. In his remarks, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono spoke highly of the Chinese Indonesians’ outstanding contribution to Indonesia’s independence, development and progress.

Third, goodwill and kindness. The Indonesian people are warm, hospitable and are always ready to help others. Their happiness index is quite high.

Fourth, great potential. Indonesia’s population, landmass and GDP are all over 40 percent of the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states combined. It’s the only Southeast Asian member of the G20 and is the 16th-largest economy around the world.

Global Times: China is Indonesia’s largest trading partner. Where is the growth point for the bilateral commercial cooperation in the future?

Ambassador Xie: China and Indonesia are both major emerging markets and developing countries. Our economies are highly complimentary and the cooperation potential is huge. Two-way investment will be a bright spot in our business cooperation in the years ahead. And infrastructure is expected to be a new growth driver in this regard. My Indonesian friends told me that the cargo freight from Papua to Jakarta is three times the cost of shipping the cargo from Shanghai to Jakarta. Nearly 50 million population in Indonesia have no access to electricity. Infrastructure is a major bottleneck holding back Indonesia’s economic growth. The Indonesian new government is implementing the ‘ocean highway’ strategy, and planning to build 2,000 kilometers of road, 10 new airports, 10 new sea ports and 10 industrial parks. The purpose is to promote air, land and sea connectivity, and improve energy, telecommunications and transport infrastructure. In my recent meetings with Indonesian leaders, responsible officials of economic departments and entrepreneurs, I could feel their strong desire to enhance cooperation with China.

Global Times: President Joko Widodo vows to develop marine economy and turn Indonesia into a global maritime axis. What’s the purpose of this strategy? What does it mean to China-Indonesia relations?

Ambassador Xie: Indonesia sits between the Pacific and Indian Oceans and connects Asia and Oceania. It controls a number of strategic chokepoints, such as the Malacca Straits, the Lombok Strait and the Sunda Strait. In history, Indonesia was a major hub in the maritime silk road, with a rich legacy of friendly exchanges between our two countries. The city of Semarang has been named after the well-known Chinese navigator Admiral Zheng He. It retains much heritage of Zheng He’s voyages to the Western Seas in the 15th century.

In his inauguration speech, President Joko Widodo called for building Indonesia into a maritime power. This policy agenda focuses on raising maritime awareness, building ocean highways, promoting maritime connectivity, developing marine economy, upholding maritime security and conducting maritime diplomacy. And the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs has been established. In his visit to Indonesia in October last year, President Xi Jinping announced the strategic initiative of building a “21st century maritime silk road.” This is to develop a ‘silk road’ spirit of peace, friendship, openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation among China, Indonesia and other coastal countries of the maritime silk road. The purpose is to promote policy communication, transport connectivity, trade relations, monetary circulation and understanding between the people, and build a community of common destinies. This shows the strategic visions of Chinese and Indonesian leaders complement each other. Maritime cooperation will become a ‘blue bond’ connecting our two countries’ development strategies. It is expected to be a new highlight and a new driver for strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership and deepening the practical cooperation between our two countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin walks past US President Barack Obama

as Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his wife Iriana and other world leaders

and their spouses get into position for a family photo before a banquet in Beijing

on Nov. 10, 2014. (EPA Photo/Sergei Ilnitsky)

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