Jakarta. Quebec businesses are open to partnering with Indonesian businesses following Jakarta's trade pact with Canada.

Indonesia officially became the first ASEAN country to strike a trade deal with Canada. This Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) becomes one of the major outcomes from President Prabowo Subianto's visit to Canada in September. This freshly signed pact has boosted Quebec's appetite for a partnership with Indonesian companies.

Indonesian Ambassador to Canada Muhsin Syihab recently met several officials in Quebec. The diplomat engaged in talks with Frederic Legendre, the director general of the  Quebec Ministry of Economy, Innovation, and Energy. He also met with Elisa Valentin, Assistant Deputy Minister for Indo-Pacific Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Francophonie.

"Indonesia is now in a strategic position to deepen its relationship with Canada, especially Quebec as a hub of innovation," Muhsin was quoted as saying in a press statement.

According to Legendre, Quebec is currently wishing to diversify its foreign trade partners.

"Countries like Indonesia, which have economic cooperation agreements with Canada, are our priority. Asia is now a hub of global economic cooperation, and Indonesia is right at the heart of it," he said.

Likewise, Valentin called the CEPA deal a "strategic turning point" in bilateral economic relations. She hopes that both countries can ratify the document by next year.

"Quebec is ready to take concrete steps to support its implementation," Valentin said.

The Quebec government is inviting Indonesian firms to four of its so-called "innovation zones". They are the microelectronics and semiconductor area in Bromont, the aerospace industry in Montreal, new and renewable energy in Bécancour, and the quantum computing and software center in Sherbrooke. These zones are designed to accelerate the development of advanced technology-based industries.

"We will strengthen dialogue with Quebec and explore opportunities in Indonesia's leading sectors. We must not let the CEPA momentum go to waste," Muhsin said.

Indonesia's trade with Quebec totaled $383.33 million last year, the government reported. Data showed that Indonesia mainly exported waste and scrap of precious metal (HS 7112), cocoa butter (HS 1804), and natural rubber (HS 4001). The Southeast Asian country mainly imports soybean products (HS 1201) from Quebec.

The province is thrice the size of Sumatra and is home to a population of 9 million. Quebec has also attracted the global technology giants like Google, Microsoft, Ubisoft, Square Enix, Electronic Arts, and several animation companies to set up their headquarters there. Quebec is a leading producer of critical minerals such as lithium, graphite, titanium, cobalt, and nickel. These are all key minerals in the energy transition.

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