TEMPO.CO, Davos, Swiss - Trade Minister Thomas Trikasih Lembong said that Indonesia must pay more attention to the service sector since the international trade would rely on this sector in the future.
On the sidelines of the 2016 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Friday night, January 22, 2016 local time, Minister Thomas said that Indonesia had only focused on goods in the international trade.
“Our trade balance has never divided the sector into goods and services, but oil and gas and non-oil and gas,” Thomas said.
Thomas admitted that Indonesia’s service sector was far behind other countries, including Singapore, although the country had added values to be utilized in the service sector.
However, Thomas said that Indonesia must improve discipline and agility in order to be competitive in the service sector in the international trade.
“The service sector must be promoted as the driving force of the economy. The service sector should be developed further,” he added.
Thomas revealed that the WEF was an opportunity to expand international cooperation in economy with other countries. The main agenda discussed in the forum was the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Thomas said that Indonesia must be ready to welcome advanced technology era in the international trade.
“We must conduct acceleration in all sectors because the development is so fast. What the President said about acceleration is correct,” Thomas said.
ANTARA
