Indonesia, renowned as the “country of a thousand islands,” boasts a beautiful landscape and a pleasant climate, with temperatures hovering around 30°C year-round. At the end of last year, I traveled to Jakarta with the delegation for the “China Pharmaceutical Machinery and Medicine Trade Fair” to proudly present our state-of-the-art blister packaging machine.
As a developing nation of 200 million people, Indonesia surprisingly housed nearly 1,000 pharmaceutical factories at the time. However, much of their equipment was outdated, and the adoption rate of blister packaging machines was extremely low. During the fair, our booth drew an endless stream of prospective clients. This enthusiastic reception clearly demonstrated that Indonesia held tremendous potential as a major market for our pharmaceutical machinery.
Beyond business, the Indonesian landscape left a lasting impression. Following the fair, we traveled to the island of Bali, located to the east of Jakarta. Bali is a truly global destination, and we encountered tourists from Taiwan, Japan, and various Western European countries. The scenery at landmarks like Tanah Lot and Danau Bratan was wonderfully quiet and serene. The local craftsmanship is remarkable; uniquely shaped brick carvings with strong Buddhist influences are widespread, alongside highly skilled yet affordable wood carvings that have rightfully earned international appreciation. Even the international airport in Jakarta was striking. Several times larger than Beijing’s airport at the time, its entire structure was built from steel but cleverly designed to resemble wood at first glance. Its architecture was simple yet magnificent—luxurious yet deeply rooted in national character.
The average living standard of Indonesian residents was comparable to that in China at the time, though many of the most gorgeous villas were owned by Chinese Indonesians. We learned that a significant portion of the Indonesian economy was driven by the Chinese community. Because the local political climate historically restricted foreign and minority participation in politics, the Chinese population concentrated their efforts almost entirely on business. Consequently, there were no Chinese-language schools, meaning very few young people around the age of 20 could speak the language. Their ancestors had built their enterprises through relentless hard work, mutual support, and gradual accumulation. Most of the Chinese Indonesians I met were honest, grounded, and possessed a strong sense of national pride.
While in Jakarta, I read an editorial in a local newspaper expressing concern over the growing trend of investments flowing into the Chinese mainland. The article argued that because Chinese Indonesian enterprises had flourished thanks to the support of the local government and the nation’s stability, their capital should remain integrated within the Indonesian economy to drive local development. It also warned that policies in mainland China might change frequently, carrying significant risks. Reading between the lines, however, this article inadvertently highlighted the strong investment intentions and enduring patriotism of the Chinese Indonesian business community.
(Author: Yang Yijun. Originally published in China Pharmaceutical News on February 17, 1994)