Chengdu-Indonesia direct route may open this year

A direct route between Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, and Indonesia is expected to open this year,according to Wisnu Edi Pratignyo, an envoy at the Indonesian embassy in Beijing, when visiting Chengdu on Monday.

Wisnu said Garuda Indonesia has put the direct route between Chengdu and Indonesia's Jakarta and Bali island on its schedule. "The direct route between Chengdu and Indonesia is expected to open this year if everything goes well," he said.

It takes about three days to get a tourist visa to Indonesia in China. Visitors can also apply for a temporary tourist visa upon arrival at Indonesian airports, which allow them to stay in Indonesia for up to 30 days, Wisnu said.

Wisnu visited Chengdu to promote agricultural cooperation between Chengdu and Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia. Wisnu hopes agricultural enterprises in Chengdu can jointly build a high-tech agricultural demonstration park with the special region. The park is expected to attract $5 million in investment.

"Chengdu is very competitive in agriculture and agricultural machinery, while Indonesia has a good foundation in the planting industry. Therein lies vast potential for mutual cooperation," he said.