Trade Minister Zulhas Calls Indonesia Eligible To Be A Developed Country, But..

Trade Minister Zulhas (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan said that Indonesia already has provisions to become a developed country. In fact, Chinese Trade Minister Wang Wentao also acknowledged this.

The man who is familiarly called Zulhas said that Chinese Trade Minister Wang Wentao said Indonesia's Natural Resources (SDA) were abundant and also many human resources (HR). Both are potentials that the Indonesian government can encourage.

"I was at APEC met with the Chinese minister of trade. He said, "Excellency Hasan, we have complete data. Indonesia has all the requirements to become a developed country. Its natural resources are human resources. In short, we have all the requirements," he said during a speech at the Coordination Forum for Civil Servant Investigators (PPNS) for Central and Regional Trade, in Jakarta, Wednesday, August 21.

Zulhas also agreed with Trade Minister Wang Wentao, that Indonesia deserves to be a developed country in 2045. Currently, Indonesia's trade balance has been in a consecutive surplus for 51 months.

"And it is proven that our 51-month trade continues to be in surplus. With all the shortcomings, we are still in a surplus of 5 percent," he said.

However, Zulhas said that to achieve developed countries, Indonesia is still constrained by obstacles in the economic sector, namely the circulation of illegal imported goods that are rife in Indonesia.

"Well, one of the obstacles is that we know the undergrowth economy. The Minister of SMEs said almost 30 to 40 percent," he said.

"Our market is in the share of the so-called undergrowth economy. This means that there are illegal words. If the country has no knowledge, it doesn't get taxes. The state doesn't get taxes, sir," he continued.

Zulhas also said Japan and South Korea could become developed countries because the two countries managed to close access to illegal imported goods that were detrimental to the state.

"Try to compare it if we send it to Japan. Don't expect it to happen. Then he becomes a developed country. If we send it to South Korea, don't expect it to happen, it's impossible. So he becomes a developed country. If we send our goods through unofficial walks to China, it's impossible. So he could become a developed country, "he said.