Indonesian VP invites Chinese halal business players to invest in Indonesia
Fuzhou, The Gulf Observer: Indonesian Vice President Ma’ruf Amin on Friday invited Chinese halal business players to invest in Indonesia.
“I invite halal business players who have expressed their desire to invest in the halal industrial sector to invest and build industries in sectors that can meet domestic and export needs,” he said.
He extended the invitation in Fuzhou, Fujian province, China, on Friday during a meeting with ten CEOs and general managers (GM) of enterprises from Fujian, Tianjin, and Shanghai engaged in the food sector, especially fishery and marine products.
According to him, Indonesia currently has three Halal Industrial Areas (KIH): Halal Modern Valley in Serang, Halal Industrial Park in Sidoarjo, and Bintan Inti Halal Hub in Bintan.
The Indonesian government has also invited Batang and Aviarna Industrial Area to build halal zones similar to the Bintan Area to encourage the realization of the potential of the halal food industry in the “Two Countries Twin Parks (TCTP)” corridor.
“Two Countries Twin Parks (TCTP)” is an agreement between the Indonesian and Chinese governments, which was inked on January 12, 2021, between the Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment and the Chinese government.
TCTP encourages investment cooperation in agreed industrial areas, specifically the Yuanhong Investment Zone in China with three industrial areas in Indonesia, namely, Bintan Industrial Estate in Bintan, Aviarna Industrial Estate in Semarang, and Batang Industrial Estate in Bintan.
“Regarding halal certification for products from companies in China, halal certification can be carried out through the Representative Office of the Indonesian Ulema Council’s Food, Drug and Cosmetics Study Institute (LPPOM MUI) in Shanghai,” the Vice President informed.
Regarding the plan to establish a halal certification center in Yuanhong Investment Zone, he said that it could be followed up in accordance with the applicable procedures through registration and assessment coordination with BPJPH.
“The results of the assessment are the basis for the issuance of a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) or accreditation certification,” he added.
The current BPJPH, according to him, has only received four applications for overseas halal institution registration from China, namely, from the Islamic Food Research Center from Hong Kong, Halal Certification Service from Chongqing, Shandong Halal Certification Service from Jinan, Shaanxu Shang Pin Yuan Halal Food and Restaurant Management Co. Ltd.
TCTP was initiated with the aim of promoting synergy between the priority development vision of the two countries — Indonesia’s “World Maritime Axis” vision and China’s “Belt and Road Initiative.”
From 2018 to 2022, the value of Chinese investment reached 23.35 billion US dollars (about Rp358.8 trillion), which flowed into more than 12,200 projects.
TCTP is expected to continue to increase Chinese investment in Indonesia, especially in the industrial sector. In China, TCTP Indonesia-China is centered in Fuqing, Fujian province.
Based on the TCTP cooperation plan, there are 36 investment projects in the Fuqing area with an investment value of 19.8 billion Chinese yuan (around Rp41.83 trillion).
During the meeting on Friday, Amin was accompanied by the Indonesian Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China and Mongolia, Djauhari Oratmangun; head of the Vice Presidential Secretariat, Ahmad Erani Yustika; deputy for economic policy support and increasing competitiveness, Guntur Iman Nefianto; special staff to the Vice President for bureaucratic reform, M. Nasir; and Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Guangzhou, Ben Perkasa Drajat.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government officials and businesspersons at the meeting included the Deputy Governor of Fujian province, Wang Xingxang; director of Yuanhong Investment Zone, Shijie You; director of the Investment Promotion Center for Two Countries Twin Parks (TCTP), Cui Ren Jie; as well as a number of CEOs and general managers from Chinese companies.
