视频标题

07

2023-08

China–Indonesia “Twin Parks” Initiative: Building an Upgraded, Mutually Beneficial Version of the Belt and Road Initiative

As the construction of the China–Indonesia “Twin Parks” accelerates, two new berths at Yuanhong Port have begun construction this year and, once completed, will be able to handle cold-chain container vessels. “On busy days, more than 40 truckloads of deep-sea catch are transported from the port to our company’s frozen storage facilities,” said an on-site worker. This vividly illustrates the robust development of the China–Indonesia “Twin Parks.” A collaborative achievement championed by the leaders of both countries, the “Twin Parks” represent a new model for innovative economic and trade cooperation between China and Indonesia. The Chinese park is centered around the Fuzhou Yuanhong Investment Zone, while the Indonesian park comprises the Bintan Industrial Park, Avirna Industrial Park, and Batang Industrial Park. By establishing industrial parks in each other’s territories, the initiative has created a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative. In January this year, the “Overall Plan for the China–Indonesia Demonstration Park for Innovative Economic and Trade Development” received approval from the State Council, after which the construction of the China–Indonesia “Twin Parks” entered high gear. From the very start, the project has been off to a flying start. The Chinese park, located in Fuzhou, has seized the opportunity to gain a head start in development at record speed. Building a Platform to Attract Top Talent Nestled along the shores of Fuzhou’s Fuqing Bay, the Yuanhong Investment Zone enjoys a strategic location—backed by mountains and facing the sea—with convenient transportation links. At the construction site, heavy machinery roars as factory buildings rise rapidly; assembly lines operate smoothly, with workers expertly processing seafood products; business visitors flock to the area, and investment projects continue to take root. As summer arrives, the vibrant energy of construction can be felt everywhere within the park. A Global Supply Chain Through Cross‑Border Cooperation Within the China–Indonesia “Twin Parks,” everything—from shrimp and fish to coconuts and bird’s nest—is the result of international division of labor and collaboration. At Shengtian (Fuqing) Food Co., Ltd., the first company to set up shop in the park, the ground-floor showroom overflows with an impressive array of marine products: various types of seafood, surimi products, premium sashimi, delicacies like bird’s nest, abalone, and shark fin, as well as leisure snacks. These goods undergo supply in Indonesia, processing in China, and global distribution before finally reaching consumers’ tables. Indonesia boasts a warm, humid climate and abundant fisheries resources, while China possesses mature seafood-processing expertise and a vast domestic market—creating natural complementarity between the two nations. “Indonesia is one of the world’s largest fishing grounds and is relatively close to us, making it an excellent source of raw materials,” explains Shi Jie, Vice Chairman of Shengtian Food. To tap into more high-quality global fisheries, the company has extended its industrial chain upstream, partnering with Indonesia’s Sanlin Group to invest several billion yuan in building multiple local fishing bases. Currently, a fishing processing plant in Tuban, Indonesia, has already been completed and put into operation. Shi Jie notes that the “Twin Parks” offer significant opportunities for businesses: bilateral trade facilitates mutual recognition of standards, talent mobility, and complementary industrial chains. This mutually beneficial approach—where “you are in me, and I am in you”—has a positive impact on boosting production capacity. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Over the past decade, companies have seized the chance to go global, greatly expanding their growth prospects. Just days ago, the company finalized the site selection for its second base near a fishing port in Semarang, Indonesia, with plans to begin operations next year. Leveraging Overseas Chinese Networks to Drive Development There’s a popular saying in Indonesia: “Wherever there are overseas Chinese, you’ll find people from Fuqing.” Overseas Chinese represent Fuqing’s most distinctive feature and one of its most valuable assets. Today, Fuqing has approximately 1.6 million overseas compatriots, with over 700,000 of them residing in Indonesia alone. From the very outset of the China–Indonesia “Twin Parks” initiative, the power of the overseas Chinese network was fully harnessed: the park was established directly on the Yuanhong Investment Zone, once the largest contiguous foreign‑invested land development area in China during the 1990s; industrial cooperation strategies focused on integrating and leveraging the resources, capital, markets, and technologies of both countries; a dedicated economic and trade liaison team was formed, regularly visiting Indonesia to engage with overseas Chinese communities and discuss joint development; more than 50 overseas Chinese were invited back to Fuqing for fact-finding tours, leading to a formal agreement with Indonesia’s Sanlin Group to jointly attract 100 projects—a “Double Hundred” initiative. By harnessing the overseas Chinese network, the project has become a powerful catalyst for broader development. Since the beginning of this year, the China–Indonesia “Twin Parks” have experienced rapid progress. In February, the Indonesia–Fuzhou Economic and Trade Conference and Project Signing Ceremony was held in Jakarta, resulting in the signing of 15 projects totaling 21.6 billion yuan. In May, the China (Fujian)–Indonesia Joint Construction of the “Twin Parks” and Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion Event took place in Jakarta, where 21 projects worth 43.2 billion yuan were signed on the spot. Also in May, the China–Indonesia “Twin Parks” Economic and Trade Cooperation Exchange Meeting was convened in Fuqing, Fuzhou, culminating in the signing of 10 key projects valued at 4.55 billion yuan. Wang Xingang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Fuqing Municipal Party Committee, Vice Mayor, and Director of the Yuanhong Functional Management Committee of the Fuzhou New Area, stated that the “Twin Parks” currently comprise 45 economic and trade cooperation projects, including 17 outbound initiatives totaling nearly 40 billion yuan, 10 inbound projects worth 15.5 billion yuan, and 18 trade-related projects expected to generate nearly 10 billion yuan in trade volume. “Going forward, we will accelerate the implementation of projects aimed at enhancing infrastructure connectivity, fostering industrial linkages, and promoting cultural exchanges, while further strengthening our business environment as a new benchmark for international industrial cooperation,” Wang added.

2023-08-07