REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KUPANG -- A Chinese investor has expressed interest in investing in the pearl breeding business in two islands of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province, Head of the East Nusa Tenggara Regional Investment Coordinating Board Semuel Rebo stated.
"The two islands comprise Konga in East Flores District and another one in West Manggarai District. The Chinese investor believes they have the potential to be used as pearl breeding sites," Rebo informed Antara here on Friday.
Chinese company Chen Haijun has planned to invest in the pearl breeding sector this year. The company's representative has pledged to return to East Nusa Tenggara in March before reaching a decision on going ahead with the plan, Rebo noted.
To this end, the Chinese investor has held discussions with related authorities within the provincial government. "They also promised to train local people in cultivating pearls, so they can buy them later," he revealed.
Rebo further noted that East Nusa Tenggara's government had collected necessary information and urged the investor to submit a proposal to the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board. "The East Nusa Tenggara provincial government will back up the submitted proposal," he remarked.
Meanwhile, East Nusa Tenggara Governor Frans Lebu Raya had earlier stated that a delegation of Chinese investors, who had recently met him, expressed interest in the pearl breeding business.
"We offered them several investment opportunities, but they preferred the pearl breeding business," he noted, adding that the Chinese investors' visit was a viable opportunity for East Nusa Tenggara Province to promote its huge investment potential.