TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesia Investment Forum is held in Milan, Italy to strengthen communication between Indonesian and Italian businessmen. Attending the forum were Industry Minister Saleh Husin and Investment Coordinating Board chief Franky Sibarani.

"This forum is an opportunity to boost collaboration and opportunities in the manufacturing industries of both countries," Saleh Husin in Milan, through a press release received by Antaranews here on Tuesday.

The minister hopes the forum can be a place for Indonesia to consolidate and synergize industrial relations with the Italians. That way, Indonesia will be able to respond to global economic challenges against the growth of the national manufacturing industry.

To Italian businessmen, Saleh Husin said that Indonesia's industrial development is focused on production chain.

"Our strategy is to have the government fully support the growth of intermediate industries that will supply raw and auxiliary materials for downstream industries, which we are still importing in large quantities," he said.

The minister said that a number of industries whose growth will be fully supported by the government are agro industries, basic metal and non-metal mining industries, as well as basic chemical industry based on oil, gas and coal.

The forum was also attended by the Italian Trade Agency president Riccardo Monti; DPR Commission VI members Nasril Bahar Zulfan Lindan and Iskandar Dzulkarnain Syaichu; as well as West Nusa Tenggara Governor Muhammad Zainul Majdi.

ANTARA | RR