REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno L.P. Marsudi and his Czech counterpart, Lubomir Zaoralek, had a meeting to discuss their countries' bilateral relations, especially in the economic sector.
"We discussed a wide range of areas for potential cooperation to translate the good relations between our countries into a relationship of mutually beneficial cooperation," Minister Retno said here on Thursday.
The Czech Republic is Indonesia's fourth largest trading partner in the Central and Eastern European regions, after Russia, Ukraine, and Poland. The total trade value between Indonesia and the Czech Republic in 2014 reached US$260.51 million.
Popular Indonesian products marketed in the Czech Republic include furniture, spices and food items.
To enhance trade cooperation between the two countries, Minister Zaoralek was accompanied by more than 30 Czech businessmen, who met with Indonesian businessmen on Thursday (Feb. 25).
The Czech businessmen operate in the fields of agriculture, mining and glass and ceramics, as well as in the aircraft manufacturing industry and military and defense industries.
In terms of investment, the total investment by Czechs in Indonesia over the last five years (2010-2015) has reached $34.35 million, including the hospitality sector.
In addition to discussing economic relations, the two ministers also discussed cooperation in other sectors, such as tourism, energy, education, defense, information technology, and communications.
The two ministers also exchanged views on regional and international issues that concern both countries.
On his official three-day visit to Indonesia, between February 25 and 27, the Czech foreign minister is scheduled to pay a courtesy call to President Joko Widodo, as well as meet with the coordinating minister for economic affairs, the legal and security affairs minister, the chairman of the House of Representatives, and King of Yogyakarta Sultan Hamengkubuwono X.
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