INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta, Minister of Industry (Menperin) Airlangga Hartarto made a working visit to two countries in the Blue Continent, namely Czech and Germany.

The five-day event, from April 30 to May 4, 2018, is linked to the Government of Indonesia's efforts to implement 4.0 industry and increase investment.

"Germany is the first country that has made a roadmap on the implementation of the digital economy, so we want to discuss with them because as one of the pioneers, in order to get positive feedback," said Menperin according to official information received in Jakarta, Monday / 4/2018).

Airlangga said that the Government of Indonesia is implementing the strategic steps established based on the Making Indonesia 4.0 roadmap.

This effort is to accelerate the realization of national aspirations that have been targeted for taking advantage of opportunities in the era of the fourth industrial revolution.

"With Making Indonesia 4.0, one aspiration is to make Indonesia into the top 10 countries that have the strongest economy in the world in 2030," he said.

Airlangga is optimistic that the target can be achieved if 10 national priority steps are implemented in an integrated manner.

We will visit Fraunhofer, the research institute in Germany. The German research institute is developing a type of algae that can convert palm oil mill effluent (POME) into gasoline.

"That's some research we'll see later," he said.

In addition, one of the 10 national priority steps in Making Indonesia 4.0, the government seeks to attract foreign investment in the country. These efforts can encourage technology transfer to local companies.

"To increase investment, Indonesia will actively involve global manufacturing companies, selecting the world's top 100 manufacturing companies as a prime candidate and offering attractive incentives to collaborate with national industry," said Minister of Industry.

During his visit to Czech Republic, Airlangga accompanied by the Director General for International Industrial Access and Development (KPAII) I Gusti Putu Suryawirawan and the delegation scheduled a meeting with the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade. In addition, a business meeting with business actors in the Czech Republic is also scheduled.

In Germany, in addition to Fraunhofer, we will also meet with the German Minister of Economy and some companies there like Siemens.

"So, we will continue to encourage some German companies to invest in new or increase their production capacity for those already in Indonesia," he concluded.

The Czech is Indonesia's fourth largest trading partner in Central and Eastern Europe after Russia, Ukraine and Poland. During 2010-2015, the total value of Czech investment in Indonesia reached USD34, 35 million.

Meanwhile, the period 2016-2017, Czech investment in the manufacturing sector reached USD499, 5 thousand for three projects that include basic metal industry, metal goods, and machinery and electronics.

Meanwhile, during 2010-2015, the overall value of German investment in Indonesia reached USD552 million with 547 projects that can absorb the workforce of 38,382 people.

Meanwhile, in 2017, the value of German investment in Indonesia for the manufacturing sector amounted to USD79.3 million with a total of 108 projects, up from the achievement of the previous year's investment of USD58.5 million with 59 projects. The German investment project is dominated by steel and machinery, chemical and pharmaceutical, and automotive industries.