Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia yet again proves its mettle as one of the industrial powerhouses, with Southeast Asia's largest economy, at Hannover Messe 2020, the world's leading manufacturing technology fair, by donning the role of official partner nation.
"Hannover Messe 2020 will also offer an opportunity to showcase Indonesia's industrial agility to the global manufacturing community," Acting Director General of Resilience, Regional and Industrial Access (KPAII) of the Ministry of Industry Ngakan Timur Antara noted in a statement received by Antara here, Wednesday.
Indonesia was inaugurated as the official partner country of Hannover Messe 2020 during a press conference in Hannover on April 2, 2019, on the sidelines of the Hannover Messe 2019.
This was marked by the handover of the title from Sweden, as the official partner country of Hannover Messe 2019, to Indonesia, borne witness by Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Head Thomas Lembong.
Hannover Messe is the biggest yearly international tradeshow for the industrial technology sector that places the spotlight on industrial automation and IT (Industry 4.0), energy and environment, energy efficiency, research and technology transfers, robotics, cobots or so-called co-robots, and other current issues.
Hannover Messe provides a platform for broad global exposure, with over 6,500 participants from 73 nations and 225 thousand international visitors from 91 countries, and generates some 5.6 million business contacts.
Mexico was the official partner country at Hannover Messe 2018, while China took up the title in 2012; Russia, 2013; the Netherlands, 2014; India, 2015; the United States, 2016; and Poland, 2017.
Ngakan believes that Indonesia setting the stage for its role as the official partner country bodes well with its "Making Indonesia 4.0" initiative to revamp the nation's manufacturing industry through the adoption of technology to tackle the challenges of the 4.0 industrial revolution.
"Indonesia participating as the official partner country in Hannover Messe can drive cooperation in the area of industrial technology, boost industrial products and services exports, and draw investment into the manufacturing industry," he affirmed.
Furthermore, this title will bolster bilateral ties between Indonesia and Germany, with economic relations going from strength to strength with each passing year.
The Indonesian Trade Ministry's data indicated that the bilateral trade value had totaled over US$6.6 billion in 2018.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board reported that German direct investment in Indonesia had reached $127 million in 2018. EDITED BY INE
Reporter: Bambang Purwanto
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
