Taiwan is looking forward to closer ties with Indonesia. That was the word from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Sunday.
In an interview with Taiwan’s Central News Agency on Sunday, Indonesian president-elect Joko Widodo thanked Taiwan for its friendly treatment of Indonesian workers. He also said that he hoped for further cooperation with Taiwan.
Right now Indonesia is Taiwan’s 10th-largest trade partner, with two-way trade volume reaching over US$12 billion every year.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anna Kao responded to the Indonesian president-elect’s comment on Sunday saying that Taiwan would continue to strengthen ties with the southeast Asian nation.
Joko is set to take office on Oct. 20 after winning the July 9 presidential election with more than 53 percent of the ballots. He praised the solid foundation of Taiwan's manufacturing sector, saying that Indonesia will improve its infrastructure and government efficiency in a bid to attract Taiwanese investments.
Taiwanese business tycoon Terry Gou, has vowed to invest more than US$1 billion in Jakarta over a five-year period. Joko has extended an invitation to Gou to attend his inauguration.