INDONESIA: Garment Factory Partnership With Papua NG

Trade and Industry Minister Luhut B Panjaitan said Indonesia is planning to set up a garment and textile factory in Papua New Guinea (PNG), Asia Pulse reported today. "It will be a concrete instance of trade cooperation between the two countries," he said during a visit at the weekend. Pandjaitan is in PNG, one of Indonesia's closest neighbours, as a member of vice president Megawati Soekarnoputri's retinue. He said an Indonesian textile enterprise in PNG would have excellent prospects because the country was still buying garments from other countries at comparatively high prices. "By having a textile industry within their own country, the PNG people will have access to less expensive garments," he said. Pandjaitan said he was optimistic that Indonesian businessmen would respond positively to the government's plan. The minister also signed a trade cooperation accord with his Papua New Guinean counterpart.