TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi paid a visit to Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto at the latter’s office in Jakarta today, April 18. Wang was to hold talks with Prabowo, Indonesia's president-elect, amid plans to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries.

Earlier, Wang met with President Joko Widodo or Jokowi at the Jakarta Presidential Palace on Thursday morning. In a press statement, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi confirmed the meeting between Wang Yi and Prabowo.

However, Retno did not expound on the issues that the two ministers will discuss. To date, neither the Indonesian Defense Ministry nor the Chinese Foreign Ministry has issued a press statement on the meeting.

From March 31 to April 2, Prabowo embarked on an official visit to China, marking his first overseas trip as president-elect. During the visit, he held meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Li Qiang, and Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun intending to discuss commitments to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.

In a press statement at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta today, Minister Retno emphasized Jokowi's three messages during the meeting with Wang Yi, including the importance for both countries to enhance mutually beneficial economic cooperation.

DANIEL A. FAJRI

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