Jokowi arrived in China’s fourth-most populous city, where he was expected to pitch investment opportunities in Indonesia’s critical minerals industry to Chinese businesses.

The visit also coincides with the 10th anniversary of the China-Indonesia strategic comprehensive partnership. Speaking to the press ahead of his flight from Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport in East Jakarta, the President said he would broach a number of subjects with the Chinese president, ranging from investments and strategic projects, to trade and health, but also regional and global issues.

“China is Indonesia’s largest trade and investment partner,” Jokowi told reporters ahead of his flight.

To help the nation achieve its ambition of becoming a high-income country in the next two decades, the government has intensified relations with Xi’s China, considered a reliable development partner despite creeping issues of debt and project delays.

Crucial to the 2025-2045 National Long-Term Development Plan (RPJPN) is the downstreaming of Indonesia’s critical minerals sector, which seeks to turn the country into an electric vehicle (EV) battery production hub as global demand for such products continues to rise.

Previously, senior officials have said that the China trip would be used to make a hard sales pitch with new incentives for Chinese businesses, including local EV giant BYD, in hopes of securing investments.

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