German foreign minister sees Indonesia and Japan as key to business

Indonesia and Japan are key countries in Asia for the German economy, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Thursday at the end of an inaugural visit of four days in the two countries.

“Indonesia is a good example of how we have markets in the world that we do not really see,” the conservative politician said in Jakarta, after visiting a production installation belonging to Daimler Truck, a German bus manufacturer.

Wadephul said Indonesia, a country of more than 280 million people, is developing slowly but regularly.

“Finally, we must recognize that there is an increasing middle class and a growing number of consumers who are looking for new products and new ideas,” he added.

“There is no unique way to expand your base or become independent, but rather many ways. And I believe that there are great opportunities in this particular region.”

Wadephul Visit the Daimler factory

Earlier, Wadephul was informed of the work on the Daimler Truck production site in Cikarang, east of Jakarta, which opened in June. The company manufactures a chassis for trucks and buses on the site.

About 200 employees bring together nearly 200 chassis each month, on a site covering 130,000 square meters, for the Indonesian market and neighboring regions.

Daimler Truck has invested a total of 27 million euros ($ 31.4 million) in the new location. A special feature is the company’s own test track, which the minister has taken a look.

According to the German government, Daimler Truck is one of the few German companies to have its own production facilities in Indonesia, in addition to sales and training activities.