Olaf Scholz says Germany and Indonesia share the same values
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Monday he was looking to deepen the economic relationship with Indonesia.
The German Prime Minister was speaking at the Hannover Messe international fair and was joined by Indonesian President Joko Widodo for the opening tour.
“Indonesia and Germany are close partners and have the same values,” said Scholz.
A key partnership with Germany
Germany “was already Indonesia’s main trading partner in Europe”, according to the German Chancellor.
“I am sure that this fair will help us to further expand our economic relations”, said Scholz.
Indonesia is exhibiting as a partner country at the Hannover Messe fair, which is one of the largest industrial showcases in the world.
Widodo said the trade partnership between the two countries “could be a good example of an equal, mutually respectful and mutually beneficial North-South partnership”.
“At the Indonesia-Germany business meeting, I invited Germany to be an important part of our mutual progress,” Widodo said in a tweet.
Scholz spoke of the “big shift” faced by the industry with the shift from fossil fuels to climate neutrality, which presented a “really big challenge”.
The German leader also said that Indonesia was experiencing an economic boom in several areas, including digital technology. The country is also investing in preparing for a transition to cleaner renewable energy, Scholz highlighted.
Indonesia looking for investment
Indonesia presents an attractive source of key materials, including copper, coal, natural gas and palm oil, and has a strong appetite for investment.
Widodo had already emphasized the day before that his country had investment needs of one trillion dollars by the year 2060.
Germany hopes to strengthen its economic ties with the fast-growing economies of Southeast Asia, while offering an alternative to Chinese investment.
China is Indonesia’s biggest trading partner and in 2022 saw its imports from Indonesia increase by around a third in the first half of the year when compared to the previous year.
kb/dj (dpa, Reuters)
Source: DW
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