National

Taiwan Trade Office Re-Opens in Jakarta
Tuesday, 27 September, 2005 | 18:28 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the prominent organization promoting Taiwanese foreign trade, has re-opened its office in Jakarta, due to the increasing trade flow between the two countries.

According to TAITRA director Yuen Chuan Chao, bilateral trade between Indonesia and Taiwan will likely increase. In 2004, trade between the two countries reached US$5.97 billion. Taiwan is the sixth biggest investor in Indonesia with the accrual of investment reaching US$12.98 billion. “We will continue and encourage investment in Indonesia,” said Chao.

The chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce’s (KADIN) permanent committee on bilateral and multilateral economic cooperation Steve Sondakh, who was present for the opening of the ceremony, said that trade between the two countries has a tendency to increase. The investment of Taiwanese businessmen in Indonesia in the beginning of 2004 reached a value of US$4.5 billion, which increased to US$13 billion by the end of 2004. The investment came in the form of computer chips, apparel, shoes and mining.

According to the Taipei Economic and Trade Office’s Press and Information Director Chang Phong, TAITRA was established in Indonesia in 2002. However, considering the decreasing activities of the economy, the office was temporarily closed and re-opened again this year. The board established by the Taiwanese government on July 1, 1970 is a non-commercial consortium that is aimed at supporting Taiwan’s foreign trade.(Abdul Manan-Tempo News Room)