VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia recorded a surplus of US$1.12 billion in its trade with China during the January–April period this year.

During the period, Indonesia's exports to China reached US$22.74 billion, while its imports from the world's second-largest economy stood at US$21.62 billion.

"As a result, Indonesia recorded a trade surplus of US$1.12 billion with China," Indonesian Ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun informed on Tuesday.

During the period, bilateral trade between the two countries swelled 34.36 percent year on year to touch US$44.36 billion.

However, Indonesia's processed food and beverage exports to China in the first four months of 2022 fell 23.17 percent to reach US$1.46 billion compared to US$1.90 billion in the corresponding period of the previous year.

The ambassador attributed the drop to the General Administration of Customs China’s (GACC)'s new regulation on processed food imports, which came into effect on January 1, 2022.

The enforcement of the new regulation hindered the unloading of goods from Indonesia at several ports in China for not meeting the GACC requirements.

"The drop must motivate (us) that Indonesia's foods and beverages can be accepted and have the potential to increase their market share in China," he said.

The regulation makes it mandatory for foreign producers of processed foods and beverages to register their production facilities with the GACC before exporting their products to China.  (Antaranews)