Indonesia has become one of the key destinations for investment from Zhanjiang, as enterprises in the city in Guangdong province are being encouraged to invest abroad.

Zhanjiang Yuexin Refined Mining Industry Co, which produces kaolinite for items such as water-based paint, rubber plastic filler, petroleum catalyst carrier, pesticide carrier, glass fiber, fire resistant material and building ceramic, has invested in a kaolinite mine in Indonesia.

The 200-hectare mine is estimated to hold more than 27 million metric tons of high-quality resources.

The site is designed to have an annual production capacity of 2 million tons, which supports annual revenue of 1.3 billion yuan ($195 million). The mine will have new world-leading technology for its production line.

Zhanjiang-based Evergreen Group, a market leader in Zhanjiang's aquatic industry, has pledged $650,000 investment for a fodder joint venture in Indonesia.

The group is involved in almost the whole aquatic industry chain, from breeding, sea-farming, seafood processing, fodder, aquatic medicines, foreign trade and machinery for aquatic processing, packaging, storage and transportation.

A leading worldwide supplier of aquatic fodder and a standard setter in China's aquatic fodder industry, it is also one of China's top five suppliers of aquatic machinery and freezing systems.

As a pivot city in China's Belt and Road Initiative and a pilot city in connecting Guangdong to ASEAN, Zhanjiang is stepping up its efforts to advance its maritime economy.

During his visit to Indonesia late last year, Zhanjiang Mayor Wang Zhongbing said his city would import more aquatic products from the Southeast Asian country and support corporate cooperation between the two places.

It serves the interests of both sides to strengthen trade and maritime economic ties, Wang said, adding that Zhanjiang enterprises had invested $100 million in Indonesia in the past five years. During the visit, representatives of Fenyong Economic Zone in Zhanjiang and Millennium Danatama Group signed a framework agreement to jointly develop industrial parks.

Johan Suryadarma, an executive at the Indonesian Fishery Product Processing & Marketing Association, arranged for 11 Indonesian exhibitors, including government agencies and aquaculture companies, to attend the 2016 China International Aquatic Products Exposition in Zhanjiang in June.

"The United States and the European Union have been our major markets." he said. "China has been a large exporter but its imports have increased greatly."

Suryadarma has been promoting exports to China and educating exporters about the stricter Chinese coding and labeling requirements on such imports.

Hengki Ang, from PT. SK Foods Indonesia, said his company is exporting shrimp products to Japan, the United States and Europe and is looking for a new market in China.

liwenfang@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 09/04/2016 page45)