Pemprov NTT menyambut delegasi Kota Jinggangshan, Provinsi Jiangxi, Tiongkok, dalam acara silaturahmi dan perkenalan di Kupang, Selasa (27/10/2026). (Foto: Sorot News)
KUPANG — The East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) provincial government has opened its doors to cooperation with China. A delegation from the Jinggangshan city government in Jiangxi Province was welcomed at a get-acquainted gathering in Kupang on Tuesday evening, 27 October 2026. Salt, seaweed, and fisheries were among the sectors on offer, alongside agriculture and tourism.
The meeting was framed as a first step toward concrete cooperation, not just a ceremony. It was attended by NTT Vice Governor Johni Asadoma, the regents of Belu, North Central Timor (TTU), Sabu Raijua, and Rote Ndao, and the deputy regent of Kupang. The Chinese delegation was led by Tu Anbo, Executive Vice President of the Jiangxi People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, together with members responsible for cooperation, education, technology, international relations, and investment.
“NTT Is Rich, but Needs Partners”
Vice Governor Johni Asadoma introduced NTT as an archipelagic province with abundant natural and cultural wealth, from agriculture, livestock, plantations, fisheries, and marine resources to world-class tourism destinations such as Labuan Bajo and Komodo National Park.
“NTT has very rich natural resources. If managed well, this potential can have a positive impact on the community. That is why we need partnerships, knowledge, innovation, and experience from many parties to support regional development.”
Johni Asadoma, Vice Governor of East Nusa Tenggara
Even so, Johni acknowledged that NTT still has work to do in spreading access to education, health services, infrastructure, and economic opportunity.
According to Johni, exploring cooperation with Jiangxi gives NTT a chance to expand its international partnerships while managing regional potential in ways that add value, create jobs, and improve people’s welfare.
He outlined the development direction under Governor Melki Laka Lena through the Dasa Cita program and the spirit of “Ayo Bangun NTT” (Let’s Build NTT), including One Village One Product (OVOP), the Buy NTT Movement, NTT Mart, and Dapur Flobamorata, all aimed at widening markets for local products. Johni hopes cooperation with Jiangxi will cover agriculture, livestock, fisheries, product processing, business development, investment, and human resource capacity building.
He stressed that good cooperation is not only about signed agreements but about real benefits felt by the people.
Salt from Rote and Sabu, Seaweed, and Fisheries
The regional heads used the occasion to showcase their areas. Rote Ndao Regent Paulus Henuk highlighted salt and tourism, hoping partnerships could grow the regency’s salt industry. The Sabu Raijua regent offered salt, seaweed, and fisheries. The regents of Belu and TTU and the deputy regent of Kupang welcomed the visit and expressed hope for productive partnerships.
For NTT’s coastal villages, this is welcome news. Salt and seaweed support the livelihoods of many salt farmers and seaweed growers in Rote Ndao and Sabu Raijua. Better production quality and market access through international partnerships could strengthen their position, in line with the central government’s push for national salt self-sufficiency.
Belu Signs Right Away
Tu Anbo thanked the NTT provincial government for its warm welcome and hoped the meeting would lay the foundation for lasting cooperation. He wants that cooperation to be developed step by step with the province and several regencies: Belu, Malaka, TTU, Rote Ndao, Sabu Raijua, and Kupang.
The first concrete step came immediately: the Belu regent signed a cooperation document with the Chinese delegation, marking the start of institutional ties between the two sides. Vice Governor Johni also welcomed plans for an NTT delegation to make a return visit to Jiangxi in November 2026.
The provincial government hopes this exploration will grow into measurable programs that truly benefit the people, from salt ponds to seaweed farms along NTT’s coasts.
Summarized from Sorot News (in Indonesian).
