Xi: Strengthen solidarity with Indonesia
He says Widodo’s China visit shows significance of ties
President Xi Jinping called on Tuesday for stronger solidarity between China and Indonesia through practicing true multilateralism, upholding open regionalism and contributing the wisdom of the East and the strength of Asia to promoting global governance.
In talks with visiting Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Xi urged both sides to consolidate strategic mutual trust and extend steadfast support to each other in protecting national sovereignty, security and development interests, exploring paths of development suiting national conditions, pursuing economic development and improving people’s living standards.
The president told Widodo, the first foreign head of state to visit China since the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, that building a China-Indonesia community with a shared future is the common aspiration and expectation of the two peoples, and he is pleased that the two sides have decided on this overall direction.
He said the visit, Widodo’s fifth trip to China, spoke volumes about the emphasis given by both sides to developing bilateral ties.
Xi highlighted the need for both nations to deepen Belt and Road cooperation, including steps to ensure the completion of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway as scheduled and the sound implementation of other landmark projects such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Corridor and “Two Countries, Twin Parks” — which allows the two countries to develop interconnected business sectors in industrial estates.
Beijing will continue to provide full support to Indonesia in developing a regional production center for vaccines and work toward closer public health cooperation, he said. China had provided 290 million doses of vaccines to Indonesia as of March this year, more than any other country.
The total trade volume in goods between the two nations reached 448.1 billion yuan ($66.28 billion) in the first half of this year, up 28.7 percent year-on-year. In the same period, Chinese imports from Indonesia, mostly commodities, surged 33 percent year-on-year, according to the General Administration of Customs.
Xi said that China is ready to continue expanding its imports from Indonesia, especially with regard to bulk commodities and high-quality agricultural produce.
China is willing to take an active part in the development of the new capital of Indonesia and the green industrial park in North Kalimantan province, and will strive to foster new growth engines in the digital economy and green development, he said.
Xi expressed full support to Indonesia in hosting this year’s summit of G20 leaders in Bali in November, saying that China is willing to strengthen coordination with Indonesia to ensure the success of the event.
He also conveyed support to Indonesia as the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations next year. Beijing is willing to boost solidarity and cooperation with ASEAN and further release new momentum from the ChinaASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership, the president said.
The Indonesian president welcomes China’s active participation in the construction of Indonesia’s new capital and the industrial park in North Kalimantan province, and called for strengthening the strategic alignment between the Belt and Road Initiative and Indonesia’s Global Maritime Fulcrum strategy, which is aimed at making more effective use of Indonesia’s vast sea to further boost its national economy by improving connectivity through port infrastructure, sea transport and assuring sustainable production of maritime-related resources.
Widodo called for closer bilateral cooperation in investment, technology, vaccines and healthcare.
The two leaders exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis, calling on the international community to create conditions to facilitate dialogue for peace, ease and cool the situation, play a constructive role in stabilizing the global economic order and jointly uphold hard-won regional peace and stability.
The two sides also signed a memorandum of understanding on jointly advancing cooperation related to the BRI and the Global Maritime Fulcrum, as well as other cooperation documents covering areas such as vaccines, green development, cybersecurity and the ocean.
During talks with Widodo on Tuesday, Premier Li Keqiang said China is willing to resume exchanges in personnel between the nations and conduct closer peopleto-people exchanges.
Beijing is willing to expand pragmatic maritime cooperation with ASEAN countries and will strive to reach agreement on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea at an earlier date, he said.
Peng Liyuan, the wife of President Xi Jinping, met on Tuesday with Iriana Joko Widodo, the wife of visiting Indonesian President Joko Widodo, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.
Peng and Iriana Widodo recalled with pleasure their previous meetings. Peng said that China and Indonesia are important neighbors and the friendship between the peoples goes back to ancient times.
The two countries’ relations have become increasingly closer in recent years, with people-topeople exchanges gaining robust momentum. Indonesia has become the second-largest destination country favored by Chinese tourists, she said.
Peng expressed her hope that bilateral communication and exchanges in several areas will be further deepened.
Iriana Widodo said that she was very pleased to see her longtime friend again in Beijing and appreciated the warm reception from Xi and Peng.
She said that more Chinese tourists are welcome to visit Indonesia and extended her best wishes to the long-standing friendship between China and Indonesia.
Peng and Iriana Widodo also enjoyed a traditional Chinese folk music performance.
The Indonesian first lady said she was touched by the Indonesian songs played by young Chinese artists and felt true friendship from her Chinese friends.
Peng said that music has no borders and can serve as a bridge of spiritual communication and friendship. She said she hopes that cultural exchanges and mutual learning can play a bigger role in strengthening China-Indonesia friendship, as the two countries share similar cultures.