Maluku signs agreement with China’s Henan province

M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon | Tue, 06/08/2010 10:40 AM

Maluku took another step to rebuild the province after years of communal conflict as it signed an agreement with China’s Henan province Monday.

The agreement, which was described as a first step towards establishing a sister city relationship, was signed by Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu and Henan Vice Governor Song Xuan Tao in Ambon on Monday.

Ralaharu said signing the memorandum of understanding (MoU) showed that Maluku and Henan were serious about improving cooperation to develop both provinces.

“For Maluku, this cooperation is an important effort to optimize our potential and accelerate growth in the province,” he said.

Both provincial administrations were eager to expand the MoU and develop sister province ties, he added.

“I hope the cooperation will mutually benefit the welfare of people of both provinces,” he said.

A sister province cooperation agreement is expected to be signed at an event with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Aug. 3 that has been scheduled to coincide with the Sail Banda festival in Ambon.

Henan Vice Governor Song said that the agreement was a landmark for both provinces and that the Chinese delegation had already conducted fisheries research in Maluku. Song was accompanied by an economic and trade team.

The two delegations discussed industry, construction, power, logistics, agriculture and fisheries.

Song said he was confident that economic cooperation between the provinces would improve in the near future.

Song said that Henan province was ranked eighth in China for production of food; minerals, oil and gas; non-ferrous metals and other mineral resources.

The province has an integrated industrial system and is an important production center in China.

Song said Indonesia’s economy was the largest in ASEAN, and that agriculture and the oil and gas industries were the pillars of the economy. Henan is a province which is influential in the field of new industries and culture, he added.

Song said that they could achieve the same goals by signing a sister province cooperation agreement.

The strategic partnership between China and Indonesia that was established in 2005 accelerated the arrival of a new phase of development.

In 2009, Henan’s provincial administration and Indonesia’s Industrial Ministry signed an agreement to increase exchange and improve cooperation in the industry and technology sectors.

Cooperation between the two provinces began when a delegation from Maluku visited Henan earlier this year.

Henan province trade department director Li Qing Shu said Henan was eager to implement an open strategy and improve the investment climate for domestic and foreign investors.

He said the cooperation between Henan and Indonesia in the field of trade was growing.

Maluku province was ravaged by sectarian fighting between 1999 and 2001 that left at least 6,000 people dead.