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Premier US Business Group Visits
Indonesia -- Sees Opportunities
September 16-17 visit included meetings with
Cabinet, private sector leadership
(Washington, D.C.) The US-ASEAN Business Council Chairman Charles
"Chuck" Williamson led the largest US business delegation to
visit Indonesia this year, with a group of over 50 senior executives from
35 of America's top companies, from September 14-18, 2002. Mr. Williamson
is Chairman and CEO of Unocal Corporation. The Council selected Indonesia
as the venue for its annual Board of
Directors meeting and business mission, and the group met with Cabinet
officials as well as leading Indonesian academic and private sector representatives.
The group also held its annual board meeting in Bali, where they exchanged
views with leading thinkers on regional trends in the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN). The focus of the Council’s Indonesia visit
was on Indonesia's economic recovery, growth, and opportunities to expand
trade and investment between Indonesia and the U.S.
"We chose Indonesia because we see a large and important country going through a historic transition," said Council Chairman Chuck Williamson. "We are committed to Indonesia, and we would like to understand the level of change, and status of recovery and key reforms first hand," he said.
“Taking this delegation to Indonesia is a high priority for the
US-ASEAN Business Council.” Said Ernest Z. Bower, President of the
Council. “Our companies have demonstrated an enduring commitment
to Indonesia, and we place tremendous importance on its economic recovery.
Continued reform is central to renewed growth and the return of investor
confidence that underpins recovery. However, we also recognize the challenges
that Indonesia faces, on multiple fronts, including the implementation
of political reforms, and civilian-military relations.” Bower added
that, “In the face of
these challenges, Indonesia is undergoing a decentralization process that
is virtually unprecedented in its scope and complexity - an effort that
is not well understood outside the region.”
The delegation’s visit to Jakarta included a meetings with Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti, Minister of Finance Boediono, State Minister for National Development Planning Kwik, IBRA Chairman Syafruddin, and Foreign Minister Wirayuda. In addition, discussions were held with academic specialists from the University of Indonesia and CSIS.
The US-ASEAN Business Council is America’s leading private business
organization dedicated to promoting increased trade and investment between
the United States and the member nations of ASEAN. The Council's membership
includes approximately 150 of the Fortune 1000 American companies with
trade and investment interests in the ASEAN region, and the council's
members are represented in diverse industries, including aerospace, agribusiness,
automobiles, computers and information technology, consumer goods, energy
exploration and development, express delivery services, financial services,
health care and pharmaceuticals, software, and telecommunications. For
information on the US-ASEAN Business Council or general information on
the ASEAN region, please contact John Goyer at jgoyer@usasean.org or visit
the Council's Web site at
www.us-asean.org
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