简体中文
Indonesia is seeking wider technology cooperation with several European countries which will be initiated with related firms during the upcoming visit of Indonesian President Joko Widodo to the continent.
Among the technology sectors planned to be initiated are education, metal processing and aviation, aimed at building up capacities of related sectors in the country, a minister said.
"The government would set up cooperation with Siemens in education sector and local components improvement. With Rolls Royce we would expand cooperation in aviation engine maintenance," Indonesia's State-run Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno said in her office on Wednesday.
She said that the nation's mineral mining firm PT Antam will also forge cooperation with German counterpart Ferrostaal in developing a facility to process ferronickel steel into stainless steel.
With Britain-based Rolls Royce, Indonesia had initially held talks, aiming to make Indonesia a basis for plane engine maintenance facility in the region.
"The government wants Indonesia to become a center for Rolls Royce's plane engine maintenance services," she said.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo is scheduled to kick off his European tour on April 18 which will last to April 22. The president will visit Britain, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The president will also pay an official visit to the European Union headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi said that Indonesia was the first Southeast Asian nation to establish Comprehensive Partnership Agreement (CPA) with the EU.
"It is properly good to manifest the foundation that has been being strongly built into concrete cooperation that benefit both the Indonesian and European Union peoples," Retno said Monday.
"It would be the first time for an Indonesian president to meet with EU dignitaries including the European Parliament president, the European Commission president and European Council president at the same moment," the minister said.
EU is Indonesia's fourth largest trade partner with two-way trade standing at 26.14 billion U.S. Dollars last year. Indonesia' s main exports to EU were mainly machinery, motor bikes, pharmacy products and oil.
