A groundbreaking ceremony for Indonesia's first melamine project, invested by PT GEABH Joint Technology, is held in the Gresik Special Economic Zone, East Java Province, Indonesia, April 8, 2026.(Xinhua/Li Jiacong)

Indonesia's first melamine project, mainly invested in by a Chinese enterprise, marks a significant milestone in the country's industry journey, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said on Wednesday.

In a video address at the project's groundbreaking ceremony, Airlangga said that natural gas will be processed into liquid ammonia through this project, and further developed into downstream projects such as urea, melamine, and ammonium nitrate.

He noted that the project will support key sectors including agriculture, chemical industry, and other strategic manufacturing industries, while opening opportunities for export and enhancing Indonesia's competitiveness in the global market.

The project is located in the Gresik Special Economic Zone in East Java province. With a total investment of about 600 million U.S. dollars by PT GEABH Joint Technology, a subsidiary of China Sichuan Golden Elephant Sincerity Chemical Co., Ltd, the project is expected to fill a gap in Indonesia's melamine market.

In his speech at the ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Wang Lutong said the energy and chemical industrial chain plays a key role in linking energy resources with agricultural production and is of growing strategic importance.

Enhancing the supply capacity of key inputs such as energy and fertilizers, and promoting coordinated development across related industrial chains, is vital to ensuring food security and sustainable economic growth, he said, adding that it also provides a broad space for the two countries to deepen cooperation in fields such as agriculture, energy, and the chemical industry.

The project will help strengthen Indonesia's energy and chemical industrial chain, improve self-sufficiency in key products such as fertilizers, promote regional economic development, and contribute to the country's industrialization, he added.