WA companies take part in Jakarta mining/technology expo

Forty Western Australian companies have displays at a mining and technology expo which opened in Jakarta today.

The exhibition was opened by the WA Minister with special responsibility for trade, Gordon Hill.

He said the fact that so many companies had displays illustrated the immense interest WA business people had in Indonesia.

"Trade between Indonesia and Western Australia increased by 27 per cent last year," he said.

"This two-way aggregate trade is now worth almost $A2.4 billion and growing.

"This rise in trade shows how much our economies complement each other because each can offer something the other needs."

The expo opened today is the fourth Industry, Mining and Technology Exhibition the WA Government has organised in Indonesia.

While in Jakarta, Mr Hill is also having discussions with an Indonesian company on joint training proposals and with research institutes and businesses on trade openings.

He said trade and overseas investment were two important factors in the 'WA Advantage' economic policy released recently by the Premier of WA, Dr Carmen Lawrence.

"WA has expertise and resources in a number of significant areas of interest to Asian countries - and Indonesia in particular," he said.

"WA's economic growth has been fostered particularly by the mining of iron ore, bauxite, gold, nickel, mineral sands and diamonds."

Mr Hill said the WA Government had drawn up an Indonesian strategy in 1990 which focussed on agriculture, forestry and land management, shipping, fisheries, education, tourism, health services and environmental management.

The opening last week of a WA trade office in Surabaya was an important initiative which had grown out of the Indonesian strategy and the East Java-Western Australian sister province agreement drawn up late in 1990.