China invests Rp 1.4t in RI’s maritime sector

China’s State Oceanic Administration (SOA) signed an agreement with Indonesia’s Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry last week for a joint cooperation that would involve capital investments worth Rp 1.4 trillion (US$152.6 million) over five years to help develop the domestic maritime industry.

“Indonesia and China realize that the maritime and fisheries sector needs to be strengthened because the sector plays an important role in facing many global issues in the future such as the climate change, food security, and illegal fishing,” Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry spokesman Indra Sakti told The Jakarta Post in Jakarta on Monday.

He said that the agreement covered the setting up of the Indonesia-China Center for the Ocean and Climate (ICCOC) in Indonesia, scholarships for Indonesians to study maritime and fisheries in China, and a submarine that will help Indonesia conduct research on oceanography.“The ICCOC will be established in five locations, such as the Natuna Islands in Riau Islands Province, Perancak in Bali, and Morotai Islands in North Maluku,” he said.He said that the ICCOC will help Indonesia monitor maritime and fisheries conditions in Indonesian waters closely as well as become a center for data and research.

In addition, for the scholarship, Indra said that the Chinese government would give opportunities to Indonesians to take master and doctoral programs in maritime and fisheries management in Chinese universities.“Through this cooperation, Indonesia will have more people who can help develop the country’s maritime and fisheries sector in the future,” he added.

The deal was part of several agreements made during the state visit of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono that covered cooperation in areas including trade, tourism, and antidrug efforts.Bilateral relations in the maritime and fisheries sector have existed since 1994 after the signing of the Indonesia — China Science and Technology Agreement. After that, several memorandum of understandings (MoU) were signed between Jakarta

source: thejakartapost.com