REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo witnessed the first export of Mitsubishi's Xpander multipurpose vehicles (MPV) at Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port on Wednesday. Mitsubishi Indonesia, the country's unit of Japan Mitsubishi car maker, launched its first exports of 3,000 units of its Xpander car to the Philippines.

"I very much appreciate the big jump by Mitsubishi Indonesia, Mitsubishi Motors in mass exporting its Xpander cars for the first time," Jokowi said.

Mitsubishi also hopes to export its MPV product to other countries including Bolivia, in South America and a number of countries in Africa.

The Japanese car is assembled in the country by Mitsubishi Indonesia providing jobs for 3,000 workers. The number of workers would be increased to 4,000 with the company's plan to expand its production to meet growing market demand.

The production of Xpander cars involves 120 component producers in the country increasing the added value of the country's automotive industry, Jokowi said, adding the automotive industry has high added value and innovation.

Meanwhile Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto said exports of motor vehicles in completely built up (CBU) form has increased 20 percent, and exports of components rose 1,200 percent.

Airlangga said Indonesia has exported motor vehicles and components to other southeast Asian countries, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Morocco, South Africa , Ecuador, Mexico and Peru.

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