VP Ma’ruf Amin Encourages Investment in Halal Sector under TCTP

Vice President Ma’ruf Amin meets with businesspeople from Fujian, at Crowne Plaza Fuzhou Riverside Hotel, Fuzhou, Fujian province, China, Friday (09/15). (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat)

Vice President Ma’ruf Amin lauded the success of Indonesia-China cooperation projects under Two Countries Twin Parks (TCTP) agreement.

According to the Vice President, the projects run successfully and are projected to be expanded to other potential sectors which benefit both countries, particularly halal sector.

“The expansion will cover halal industry. Market for halal products be it in global market and markets of two countries is potential to be optimized to strengthen economic cooperation,” he said during a meeting with businesspeople from Fujian, at Crowne Plaza Fuzhou Riverside Hotel, Fuzhou, Fujian province, China, Friday (09/15).

To support the cooperation, the Government of Indonesia is committed to enhance internal coordination by establishing TCTP inter-institutional working group in supporting investment facilities for Chinese companies.

“I sincerely welcome the intention of businesspeople in halal sector to invest and develop their business in Indonesia,” he said.

He went on to say that Indonesia has three halal industrial zones, namely Halal Modern Valley in Serang, Halal Industrial Park in Sidoarjo, and Bintan Inti Halal Hub in Bintan. Therefore, the Government invited businesspeople who interested in halal sector to invest in Indonesia and to meet demands of halal products in domestic and export markets.

“The Indonesian Government also calls for Batang and Aviarna Industrial Zones to build a halal zone similar to the one in Bintan, in order to unlock the potential of halal food industry in the framework of TCTP,” he stated adding that the companies can receive halal certification for Chinese products from the Indonesian Ulema Council Food and Drug Analysis Agency (LPPOM MUI) regional offices in Shanghai.

Regarding a plan to establish Centre for Halal Certification in Yuanhong Investment Zone, coordination in product listing and assessment will be done in according with procedures applied in the Halal Certification Agency (BPJPH).

“The assessment result will serve as a background for the issuance of Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) or accreditation certification,” he said.

To date, the BPJPH has received application for halal certification from Islamic Food Research Centre (Hong Kong), Halal Certification Service (Chongqing), Shandong Halal Certification Service (Jinan), and Shaanxi Shang Pin Yuan Halal Food and Restaurant Management Co. Ltd.

For the record, the TCTP is a strategic cooperation program between Indonesia and China which aims to rapidly encourage investment in industrial zone in the two countries under the synergy of the Global Maritime Fulcrum and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Memorandum of understanding (MoU) on TCTP has been inked by the two countries on January 12, 2023. The cooperation in the MoU involved Yuanzhong Industrial Park in Fujian, China and three industrial zones in Indonesia: Bintan Industrial Zone, Batang Integrated Industrial Zone, and Aviarna Industrial Zone in Semarang.

Priority sectors in the TCTP are, among others, marine industry sector, infrastructure development, food industry, building materials, energy, aviation maintenance-repair-inspection, and electronics.

In addition to promoting industrial interoperability, the TCTP is aimed at increasing the absorption of labors from both countries in various industrial chains, as well as creating a favorable business, trade and investment climate. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/UN) (RAS/LW)