PARIS, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia and China discussed the promotion of trade in legal timber from Indonesia based on the Timber Verification and Legality System (SLVK), to strengthen trade relations between the two countries. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the UNFCCC COP 21 on climate change in Paris, France, Tuesday (1/12/2015).

The Indonesian delegation was led by the Director General of Sustainable Production Forests from the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Putera Parthama, while from China was led by the Deputy Director General of the International Cooperation Department of the Chinese State Forestry Finance Administration, Chunfeng Wang.

“” This is an important collaboration with China to promote the trade in legal timber, while Indonesia’s most significant export to China is our timber production, “Putera said.

Based on the Timber Legality Information System or SILK, until November 2015, Indonesia’s wood product exports to China reached 4.2 million tons worth 2 billion US dollars. The Chinese market is far above Japan, which is in second place, absorbing 1.6 million tons of wood worth 1.2 billion US dollars.

According to Putera, Indonesia has developed an SLVK system, in an effort to enforce legal actions to reduce illegal logging. SLVK, currently applied for export wood. This system provides incentives for legality by encouraging market access for illegal products.

SLVK also encourages broader reforms of forest governance, such as improving information systems, transparency, and increasing capacity and rights for local communities.

“With the increasing global demand for legal green products, Indonesia has an important position for these markets with SLVK,” he added.

Indonesia is the first country in Asia to successfully negotiate and ratify the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Voluntary Partnership agreement with the European Union.

In addition to the European Union, Australia also recognizes SLVK as a guarantee of timber from Indonesia fulfilling legality.

Meanwhile, Chinese delegation Chunfeng Wang welcomed the cooperation, especially before Indonesia and China had a cooperation agreement to eradicate illegal logging.

“This is a good step in Indonesia’s timber legality efforts as a form of suppressing illegal logging and SLVK is a big idea, we will follow the Indonesian system to meet our (Chinese) timber needs,” Chunfeng Wang said.

Author: Contributor Bengkulu, Firmansyah

Editor: Erlangga Djumena

Source: http://bisniskeuangan.kompas.com/read/2015/12/02/111200726/Di.Sela.COP.21.Indonesia.dan.China.Bahas.Kayu