Belt and Road Could Be a Major Factor in Indonesia’s Infrastructure Development

FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

Belt and Road Could Be a Major Factor in Indonesia’s Infrastructure Development

July 5, 2018 (EIRNS)—At the third Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong on June 28, the Belt and Road Initiative’s (BRI) potential contribution to Indonesia’s much-needed infrastructure development was highlighted.

“Our government has been really focused on building infrastructure. We have been focusing on four regions that are part of the Belt and Road Initiative: North Sulawesi, North Kalimantan, North Sumatra and Bali,”

Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (Kadin) Deputy Chairwoman Shinta Kamdani said during the summit, the Jakarta Globe reported today. Shinta also cited a statement by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council which said China had promised to invest a total of $9 billion in 50 projects in Indonesia.

Prior to the summit, an international law firm, Baker McKenzie, in a recent report, said Indonesia could be the biggest beneficiary in the region, potentially attracting more than $87 billion in infrastructure projects under the initiative. China is said to show great interest in investing in international port development and industrial areas in several locations in Indonesia under the Belt and Road Initiative, the Jakarta Globe reported.

At the summit, Suteja Sidarta Darmono, chief executive officer of PT Jababeka, which manages two of Indonesia’s largest industrial estates and two special economic zones, reiterated the strategic importance of linking up with local partners, local hiring, and the procurement of local materials, the Jakarta Globe reported on July 2.