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A new journey in China-Indonesia relationship: Building a shared future

We work closely in international and regional affairs, advancing China-ASEAN cooperation, maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea, supporting the Palestinian national liberation cause and defending the common interests of the Global South.

Wang Lutong (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Thu, November 7, 2024

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A new journey in China-Indonesia relationship: Building a shared future China-backed high-speed railway connecting Jakarta and Bandung called “Whoosh“ is parked at Halim station in Jakarta, on Oct. 2, 2023. (Reuters/Willy Kurniawan)
G20 Indonesia 2022

At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will begin a state visit to China tomorrow. Following his first overseas visit to China last April after the election, President Prabowo also chose China as the destination for his first visit after inauguration.

These two "firsts" reflect President Prabowo's friendship with China, and fully demonstrate the depth of the China-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. We hope and believe that this visit will further accelerate the fast-growing bilateral relations, upgrade practical cooperation in all fields and start a new journey toward the China-Indonesia community with a shared future.

Over the past decade, our two presidents exchanged visits multiple times, having more than 10 meetings and phone calls. During President Prabowo’s visit to China last April, President Xi and President Prabowo reached important consensus on deepening all-round strategic cooperation and building a China-Indonesia community with a shared future with regional and global influence.

The Chinese Embassy in Indonesia and the Indonesian team are working hard to implement the consensus. During this upcoming visit, President Xi will meet with President Prabowo to exchange views on significant issues regarding China-Indonesia relations.

We will work with the Indonesian side to implement the important consensus, continue to support each other firmly on issues related to our core interests and major concerns, elevate our comprehensive strategic partnership to new heights and make the building the China-Indonesia community with a shared future more substantive.

Indonesia, where the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road” was raised, has left a distinctive "Indonesian mark" on the Belt and Road Initiative. Whoosh, as a flagship project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, has become a landmark of China-Indonesia mutually beneficial cooperation.

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Since its commencing over a year ago, Whoosh has carried more than 6 million passengers, with an average daily ridership of about 15,800 and a maximum daily seat occupancy rate of 99.6 percent.  The name of the train, the high-speed “Whoosh” sound, is a testimony to Indonesian friends’ recognition of the speed, efficiency and safety it offers.

For 11 consecutive years, China has been Indonesia's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching US$139.42 billion in 2023. Both sides have made continuous progress in cooperation in minerals, industrial parks, digital economy, photovoltaic and electric vehicles (EVs).

People-to-people exchanges are also a highlight. In 2023, nearly 790,000 Chinese tourists visited Indonesia, exploring volcanoes, islands and local cuisines. In the first half of 2024, the number reached around 570,000, making China one of Indonesia’s most significant tourist source countries.

We look forward to reaching new important consensus on practical cooperation across various fields, creating more highlights out of win-win cooperation and contributing to Indonesia’s economic and social development and the well-being of its people, thus enhancing the sense of gaining of both peoples in the China-Indonesia community with a shared future.

As key members of the Global South and emerging economies, China and Indonesia firmly uphold the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and promote the Bandung Spirit of unity, friendship and cooperation set forth in the 1955 Asia-Africa Conference.

We work closely together in international and regional affairs, advancing China-ASEAN cooperation, maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea, supporting the Palestinian national liberation cause and defending the common interests of the Global South. Such cooperation highlights the nature of the pursuit of peace, development, fairness and justice in our bilateral relations.

We look forward to reaching new consensus on closer multilateral coordination, maintaining ASEAN centrality and strengthening coordination and cooperation in the United Nations, BRICS, the Group of 20, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and other multilateral fora, so as to jointly advance global governance reforms, showcase the responsibility of major developing nations and highlight the global significance of the China-Indonesia community with a shared future.

Over the years, China’s growth rate has been among the top in major economies, contributing about 30 percent global growth. In the first three quarters of 2024, China’s economy grew by 4.8 percent.

We continue to expand high-level opening-up, being the world’s second-largest recipient of foreign investment for three consecutive years. We are shortening the negative list for foreign investment and have eliminated all restrictions on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector.

China is accelerating technological innovation and green transformation, ranking 11th in the 2024 global innovation index. Its wind and solar energy products help reduce global emissions by 2.83 billion tonnes.

China is also actively expanding its network of high-standard free trade areas globally, signing 22 free trade agreements with 29 countries and regions. Trade with over 160 countries and regions, including Indonesia, keeps growing.

China's economy is scaling new heights and is full of potential. China will contribute more certainty and positive energy to the steady development of global economy, providing new opportunities for the development of all countries.

The China-Indonesia relationship has already embarked on a new journey. The blueprint is drawn, and the action is imminent. We are confident that, under the strategic guidance of our two presidents, the ship of China-Indonesia friendship will overcome all challenges and sail forward.

***

The writer is Chinese ambassador to Indonesia.

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