Hong Kong companies are seeking ways to strengthen their presence in Indonesia, with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) saying it will soon have Indonesian representatives.
"We are looking to strengthen our presence in Indonesia. Starting in January next year, we will include Indonesia in our global network. We will appoint a consultant to be our representative in Indonesia," HKTDC's Southeast Asia and India regional director Loretta Wan said Wednesday.
Wan was speaking to The Jakarta Post on the sideline of the 10th Hong Kong Forum held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Established in 1966, the HKTDC is the international agency promoting Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and service providers.
The organization has 40 offices around the world, including 11 on the Chinese mainland. Its mission is to promote Hong Kong as a platform for doing business and investing in China and Asia.
"Indonesia is already an emerging market. We believe there are a lot of untapped potential markets for Hong Kong companies in Indonesia. So we would like to strengthen our presence there in order to get closer to the market. At the same time, we want Indonesia *using us as a* platform," Wan said.
According to Wan, the number of Indonesian companies attending HKTDC's international trade fairs was still relatively low.
HKTDC records showed that only 3,000 Indonesian companies have attended HKTDC's international trade fairs so far, compared to 5,000 Singaporean companies and between 5,000 to 6,000 Thai companies.
"We expect more Indonesian companies to come to our platform. Hong Kong is an important portal to reaching the world market," she said.
Along with the rest of the world, the Hong Kong economy was also hit hard by the global economic crisis, which began in 2008. The Hong Kong economy registered a year-on-year decline of 4.6 percent adjusted for inflation in the first three quarters of 2009.
However, analysts added that, beginning in the second quarter of 2009, clear signs of improvements and a recovery have been observed.
According to Indonesia's Central Statistic Agency (BPS), the total value of trade between Indonesia and Hong Kong in 2008 reached US$4.2 billion, up from $2.1 billion in 2007.
The total value of trade from January to August 2009 reached $2.3 billion, down from $2.8 billion in the same period last year.
Dicky D. Soerjanatamihardja, an economic consular at the Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong, said Indonesia should not only be a target market for Hong Kong companies, but should also be able to use Hong Kong to sell Indonesian products.
"What remains important is that entrepreneurs and companies have a sustainable supply of high-quality products," he said.
"Hong Kong can be used as a key gateway to enter the massive market in China," said Dicky.
