Garuda To Serve Chengdu-Indonesia Route

Chengdu, China, July 25 (ANTARA) - Chengdu Mayor Ge Hong Li hoped national airline company Garuda Indonesia would soon open a Chengdu-Indonesia direct flight in boosting the relations between the two sides. "With Chengdu-Indonesia direct flights, the relations between the two sides would be increased and expanded," he said when receiving a courtesy call from Indonesian Ambassador to China and concurrently Mongolia Imron Cotan in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Tuesday. Hong Li said Chengdu is the third biggest city in China with an increasing economic growth rate both as trade, tourism, telecommunications, logistics, scientific and technological centers. "With a GDP of 13.3 pct and a population two-thirds of that of Shanghai, Chengdu has developed into a city with a potential of a partner for Indonesia in various fields like industry, trade and tourism", he said. A Chengdu-Indonesia flight will increase and expand various fields in the two sides, Hong Li said. He said government officials, business players and the people need to visit tourist destinations to foster the relations between the two sides. "We still need to have dialogues to explore cooperation between Indonesia and Chengdu, as Chengdu has a twin city in Indonesia, namely Medan," Hong Li said. In that context, Ambassador Cotan said he was serious in increasing cooperation with Chengdu. "I have even gone to Chengdu in six months time, which indicates my seriousness to explore cooperation between Indonesia and Chengdu, including direct flights between Chengdu and Indonesia," he said. Indonesia now with an economic growth rate of 6.5 percent, which will be raised to 7 percent by the end of 2012, is also constantly exploring cooperation with many sides and countries, including China, he said. In the meantime, Garuda Indonesia`s Manager in Guangzhou Dharmawan said Garuda has already sent a team by the end of May 2012 to explore Indonesia-Chengdu direct flights. "Members of the team have also met with several relevant sides, including local governments, business and tourism players, and others relating to the planned opening of the Indonesia-Chengdu direct flights," he said. Dharmawan said the explorations is made by considering all aspects, like business and bureaucracy between the two governments, and some other aspects, including the availability of our planes, capacity and market share," he said. In general, Dharmawan added, Indonesia-Chengdu direct flights are very potential. Garuda Indonesia is flying the Jakarta-Beijing route five times a week, between Jakarta and Shanghai and between Jakarta and Guangzhou each day.