11 February 2015 – Trade relations between Hong Kong and Indonesia have entered a new era with the official opening yesterday (10 Feb) of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s office in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. Since 2010, the HKTDC has operated a consultant office in Jakarta. The upgraded facility will be responsible for Hong Kong trade promotion with Indonesia and neighbouring Southeast Asian economies.
New Chapter For Trade
During a cocktail reception at Jakarta’s Kempinski Hotel to mark the occasion, Margaret Fong, Executive Director of the HKTDC, said: “This is a very exciting event for everyone involved, and it marks the start of a new era in trade relations between Hong Kong and Indonesia. With a full-fledged HKTDC office here in Jakarta, staffed by colleagues from both Hong Kong and Indonesia, we will be able to provide better and more comprehensive services to link up companies from both places and seek out new opportunities.”
About 270 government leaders and business officials from Hong Kong and Indonesia attended the reception, including Secretary of Ministry of Cooperatives & SMEs, Mr Agus Muharram and Deputy Chairman of the Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board, Mr Himawan Hariyoga.
The Bigger Picture
The Jakarta Office is among more than 40 HKTDC offices globally that are dedicated to promoting trade and investment opportunities for Hong Kong businesses around the world. The HKTDC Jakarta Office will also serve as a base for the Council’s regional promotions in the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) region, Ms Fong said.
“Increasingly, we are promoting Hong Kong’s world-class services that underpin the city’s gateway role to the Asia region, including our major annual forums on financial services, trading of intellectual property, licensing, design and logistics and maritime services which Indonesian companies could also leverage on in their global ventures,” she said.
Hong Kong Style
Hong Kong is an International business city, and, as such, is a global trendsetter for lifestyle and leisure activities. To promote Hong Kong’s unique lifestyle trends, the HKTDC will stage a major promotion in Jakarta in September 2015. The “In Style • Hong Kong” Expo will be a trade event comprising a product fair, symposium, citywide promotion, gala dinner and sector-specific outbound business missions.
There will be four main categories showcased at the expo; Fashion In Style, Electronics In Style, Gifts In Style, and Houseware In Style.
Strong Trade Ties
The value of trade between Hong Kong and Indonesia in 2014 reached US$5.13 billion, a 1.7 per cent increase year-on-year. Hong Kong’s total exports to Indonesia last year amounted to US$2.61 billion, representing a 4.7 per cent increase over the previous year. Hong Kong’s total imports from Indonesia reached US$2.52 billion last year.
The bilateral trade relationship is particularly strong in certain merchandise-based categories, with Hong Kong’s major exports to Indonesia including telecom equipment & parts, computers, fabrics, and office machines.
Hong Kong companies are also interested in investing in Indonesia. In 2014, total investment in Indonesia from Hong Kong reached US$657 million, making Hong Kong the ninth-largest foreign investor in Indonesia.
Media Enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC's Corporate Communication Department:
Joe Kainz
Tel: (852) 2584 4216
Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org
