Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday met with a group of Chinese business people led by Liu Qibao, secretary of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Committee of the Communist Party of China, at the State Palace.

The president held talks with the Chinese business group on areas of cooperation including investment in Indonesia.

Susilo said Indonesia and China could launch cooperation in a large scope of areas including industry, tourism, finance, energy and natural resources. He said he hopes that Guangxi could get direct contacts with Indonesian government departments and business organizations to promote cooperation.

Liu said cooperation between Guanxi and Indonesia has achieved great progress in recent years in the field of trade and economy and there was rooms for further cooperation in investment and industry.

The possible investments may include automotive, sugar, energy and tourism industries, Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, who accompanied the Chinese group, told reporters after the meeting.

"They didn't specify the investment value. But they expressed interests in 142 projects during a business forum earlier in the day," she said.

On the occasion, the president proposed the opening of a direct flight between Bali and Guangxi to enhance bilateral cooperation in tourism between Indonesia and China.

Source: Xinhua