Taiwan enjoys close relations with Indonesia and expects to further strengthen ties, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
Indonesia is Taiwan’s 10th-largest trade partner, with annual two-way trade volume reaching US$12.3 billion, while Taiwan is the Southeast Asian nation’s ninth-largest investor, with total investments amounting to US$15.3 billion, ministry spokesperson Anna Kao (高安) said.
Taiwan and Indonesia have signed several agreements, including pacts to avoid double taxation and prevent income tax evasion, as well as regulations involving investment protection and agricultural technology cooperation, she said.
“In the future, Taiwan will continue strengthening bilateral relations with Indonesia on their established base,” Kao said.
Her comments came after Indonesian president-elect Joko Widodo said in an interview with the Central News Agency that he hoped to further cooperation with Taiwan.
Kao also expressed her delight at Widodo’s plans to invite Hon Hai chairman Terry Gou (郭台銘), who vowed to invest more than US$1 billion in Jakarta over a five-year period, to attend his inauguration.
Widodo, 53, is set to take office on Oct. 20 after winning the July 9 presidential election with 53.15 percent of the votes.
He praised the solid foundation of Taiwan’s manufacturing sector, saying that Indonesia would improve its infrastructure and government efficiency in a bid to attract Taiwanese investment.
In addition, he thanked Taiwan for its friendly treatment of Indonesian workers in the nation and urged Taiwanese to visit and invest in his country.
Noting that more than 70 percent of the 199,971 Indonesians working in Taiwan — which account for 44 percent of the nation’s 454,171 foreign employees — voted for him, Widodo urged Indonesians to follow Taiwan’s laws and respect local customs, adding that he hoped to meet with Indonesian expatriates in Taiwan soon.
He said that the high number of Indonesian workers in Taiwan shows that the nation offers attractive wages, adding that he would urge his country’s citizens to seek employment in Taiwan, saying: “This is the basis for our [Indonesia and Taiwan’s] cooperation.”
Minister of Labor Chen Hsiung-wen (陳雄文) also praised the work done by Indonesians in Taiwan, saying he hoped the two countries could continue extending their wide-ranging cooperation.
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