Discover Indonesia in Indonesia Week

Sun, 07/05/2009 11:26 AM  |  Lifestyle

The decision to feature the Wallacea Foundation at Beijing's Indonesia Week was to show the international world that Indonesia still has a positive side: its natural resources.

Indonesian ambassador to China, Sudrajat, said Indonesia had been scolded internationally for its environmental destruction. He pointed out that even China had stopped growing plants for biofuel and instead returned to agriculture to feed its people.

"What we want to show in this exhibition are the companies and institutions that care for the environment," said the retired army general.

"The Beijing mayor and all guests said the 30 booths are very representative. They even invited us to hold the exhibition in other cities, such as Guangdong, Shanghai and Dalian. It will be a model to promote Indonesia."

Besides featuring the Wallacea Foundation, Indonesia Week also showcased 30 booths of Indonesia's signature products, such as by pulp and paper company Sinar Mas, coffee producer PT Santos Jaya Abadi (the Kapal Api group), national carrier Garuda Indonesia, as well as the booths of the Indonesian Embassy and the Aceh and South Sumatra administrations.

The exhibition on Wangfujing Street also featured a photo exhibition by renowned Indonesian photographer Timur Angin, and traditional dances, such as the Saman dance of Aceh, the peacock dance of West Java and Balinese dance.

Sudrajat said the exhibition was aimed at increasing cooperation and tourism between both countries.

He said he hoped Indonesia could fill in the market of China that was still wide open.

"We hope the exhibition can improve people-to-people contacts that can lessen the risk of doing business in both countries," he said.

Indonesia Week included an investment forum, held at the Westin Hotel, and the Indonesian Culinary Festival, held at the Grand Millennium Hotel. Attended by Investment Coordinating Board chairman M. Lutfi, the investment forum gathered together 120 businesspeople. The projects offered in the investment forum were still mining-related: a project to process aluminium, two for nickel and one for coal.

"We explained to the businesspeople that in the future, Indonesia will not export raw material, but at least half-finished products and finished products. Therefore, the investors will come and build mines, smelters and refineries in Indonesia," Sudrajat said.

- Tifa Asrianti

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