Jakarta, Sept. 15 -- The Giant Sea Wall project is not only designed to protect Java's northern coastline from flooding and coastal erosion, but also to safeguard Indonesia's key economic zones, an official said.

Speaking in Jakarta on Monday, Minister of National Development Planning and Head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), Rachmat Pambudy explained that 56 percent of Indonesia's total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) originates from the island of Java, with 70 percent of that concentrated along its northern coast.

"Of our total GDP, 26 percent is generated in the Jakarta metropolitan area and its surroundings, and 18 percent comes from Jakarta alone. Protecting the infrastructure of Jakarta's northern coastal regio...