President Subianto Affirms Indonesia’s Commitment to Friendly Politics and Economic Growth
Batang, The Gulf Observer: President Prabowo Subianto reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to maintaining friendly relations with all nations under his administration, emphasizing the importance of diplomatic harmony and economic cooperation.
“I emphasize that the government I lead has a policy of friendly politics with all countries,” President Prabowo stated during an event at the Industropolis Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Batang, Central Java, on Thursday.
The president underscored Indonesia’s foreign policy principle of fostering good relations with other nations, adhering to the belief that “a thousand friends are too few, one enemy is too many.” He expressed confidence that this approach would guide Indonesia toward greater prosperity and development.
During his address, President Prabowo also highlighted the significance of the Batang Industropolis SEZ, a project developed through a collaborative effort between Indonesia and China. He noted that the initiative stemmed from multiple discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, reinforcing the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation. Given the long-standing historical interactions between the two nations, Prabowo emphasized the potential for mutually beneficial economic partnerships.
“We have a good future, with the key being cooperation and good relations,” he stated.
President Prabowo praised the transformation of the Batang Integrated Industrial Zone (KITB) into the Batang Industropolis SEZ, describing it as a catalyst for investment in Central Java. He highlighted the involvement of numerous companies in the zone, with seven already operational, another seven under construction, and 13 in the industrial development planning phase.
He further outlined the government’s strategic plans to generate employment through investments and enhance the added value of raw materials through downstream processing. “The investments that we will implement starting this year will bear fruit in downstreaming so the added value of all our raw materials can benefit all Indonesian people. It will also create up to 8 million jobs in the next five years,” Prabowo stated.
The Batang Industropolis SEZ is projected to attract an investment value of Rp75.8 trillion (US$4.5 billion) over the next five years and generate employment for approximately 58,145 workers. The president expressed optimism that the zone would evolve into a modern industrial hub, akin to Shenzhen in China, solidifying Indonesia’s position as a key player in regional and global markets.
