Mayor Suyuti, Chairman of KADIN, Distinguished Guests, let me first extend a very warm welcome to all of you today to this seminar on Doing Business with the USA. We are delighted to be here in this historic, cultural and business capital. We hope you will learn strategies and ideas for working with U.S. companies.
We had a wonderful day yesterday meeting with the Mayor, the Regents, KADIN and His Majesty the Sultan. We were impressed to learn of advantages of Jogja for business:
- Plentiful skilled labor and competitive wages;
- Political stability; and
- Leaders who are seeking to be responsive to the needs of investors.
Expanding trade and investment is our top priority for the U.S. Embassy. Over the last 8 years US firms have invested at least $65 billion in Indonesia. Our companies also employ directly and indirectly 2 million people here in Indonesia, and are major tax payers and good corporate citizens.
Here in Jogja General Electric’s lighting manufacturing facility employs 600 workers. Target, a major U.S. retailer, sources furniture, handicrafts and other good from your companies here.
I am very happy we have with us on our delegation U.S. companies who provide the highest quality goods and services on the cutting edge of innovation:
- Honeywell is a Fortune 100 company that can supply smart grid energy systems to cut energy costs; aerospace products and services; and the latest smart technologies for home and office.
- FedEx will connect your companies to the world with transportation and business services.
- Palo Alto has the latest network and cyber security solutions.
Let me close by thanking the Mayor for his support and very kind reception, KADIN for their partnership and professionalism; FedEX, GE, Remax, Honeywell for their sponsorship; and Starbucks for giving us the coffee to fuel our discussions!
Lastly let me thank the great FCS team that put all of this together: Rosemary, Andrew, Kalung, Lakshmi, Lili, Fidhiza.
I wish all of you success in doing more business with the United States! Thank you.
