Minister Airlangga Encourages Mitsubishi to Add Garment Industry Investment
By : Ridwan And Aldi Firhand. A | Thursday, October 19 2017 - 23:28 IWST
Menperin Airlangga Hartarto shook hands with CEO of Mitsubishi Motors. Osamu Masuko before a meeting in Tokyo. (Photo PR)
INDUSTRY.co.id - Tokyo- Minister of Industry, Airlangga Hartarto encouraged Japanese giant Mitsubishi Corporation to invest in Indonesia.
"The Japanese giant has a great potential to spur the development of competitiveness and productivity of various domestic manufacturing sectors," Airlangga said after meeting with Senior Executive Vice President of Mitsubishi Corporation / Regional CEO Asia & Oceania, Eiichi Tanabe in Tokyo, Wednesday (18/10 / 2017) local time.
According to him, a number of subsidiaries and affiliates of Mitsubishi Corporation are able to engage in various business activities on a global scale. This becomes our great opportunity in the future.
Minister of Industry said that his party has asked Mitsubishi group to invest more in the garment industry sector. This is to support Indonesia's efforts to revitalize the textile industry, by increasing the production capacity of rayon fiber.
"Rayon as a new material base, especially Indonesia will produce rayon in large amount based on forest pulp," he said.
In fact, after forming a joint venture with Uniqlo as a Japanese clothing company, Mitsubishi is believed to be a strong partner to expand the export market for Indonesian textile products. Currently, Uniqlo has more than 12 outlets in Jakarta and other cities.
"In addition, Indonesia already has one production facility that supplies to Uniqlo so it can be integrated," said Airlangga.
Minister of Industry said that textile and textile product industry (TPT) is a sector that contribute significantly to the national economy.
This achievement is evident from the country's foreign exchange revenue through textile exports amounting to USD11.78 billion or 8.2 percent of total national exports, resulting in a surplus of USD4.31 billion in 2016.
Furthermore, TPT industry contributes about 1.16 percent to the national GDP and recorded investment value reached Rp7, 54 trillion in 2016.
Besides, it can become a social safety net because it absorbs a lot of direct labor force of 2.69 million people or 17.3 percent of the total workers manufacturing industry in the country.
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