REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- During the inauguration of the 2017 IDBYTE Conference, President Joko Widodo urged the public to further expand the trade of locally made goods through the use of electronic trade, or "e-dagang."

"The internet has indeed made distance less relevant, but it does not mean that location has lost its importance. Location or local uniqueness still has its own importance and role," the President Widodo noted during his opening address at Jakarta's Ritz Carlton Hotel Ballroom, Thursday.

The president believed that the people should utilize several electronic transaction applications, such as Paypal and Alipay, to simplify the payment process for the trade of local products.

The use of such applications can also boost the competitiveness of Indonesian products at the global level through the internet.

Indonesia is a large market for local products, he affirmed.

"There is a huge market for local products, and with passage of time, e-commerce corporations will continue to grow, and our products will penetrate regional and even global markets," he stated.

The head of state also remarked that Indonesia needs to adapt itself to the advancements in communication technology, including electronic trade.

Technological advancements cannot be contained, and if Indonesia refuses to stay abreast, it will lose its competitiveness in the global trade scene, President Widodo cautioned.

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