TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia has officially entered the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) era. More goods and services from all ASEAN countries will enter Indonesia and vice versa. This free trade area will later be expanded to China, Japan and South Korea.
The Trade Ministry is optimistic that Indonesian exports will soar in AEC era. Based on the Central Statistics Agency’s (BPS) data, in January-October period, it can be seen that Indonesia recorded a trade surplus of US$1.6 billion in non-oil and gas sector to ASEAN region. “This number increased by around 257.13 percent compared to the same period last year, which recorded a deficit of US$1.02 billion,” said Nus Nuzulia Ishak, the ministry’s director general of national export development,” on Thursday, December 31, 2015.
Nus said she has identified and prepared several Indonesian flagship products for AEC competition. “There are several main and prospective export products to ASEAN plus China, Japan and South Korea in the past five years,” she said.
In ASEAN regions, for example, over the past five years, exports of chemical products increased by 9.88 percent, automotive increased by 14.55 percent, machinery increased by 5.81 percent and processed foods increased by 12.67 percent. Additionally, textile, jewelry, spices, coffee and shrimp products increased by 5 to 28 percent.
For Chinese, Japanese and South Korean markets, Indonesia will rely on wood products, including papers and furniture, chemicals, textile, processed foods, automotive, footwear, plastics, fishery products, leather, coffee and spices.
Nus added that in order to boost Indonesia’s exports, the Trade Ministry has also opened AEC Centre that aims to provide information on market opportunities for stakeholders, especially local government officials, enterpreneurs, academics and general people. “In the future, the Trade Ministry will keep promoting those products,” she said.
PINGIT ARIA
