China, Indonesia Getting Closer as More Beneficial Commitments Built

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia and China enjoyed a closer bilateral relationship in 2023, with several high-ranking Indonesian officials visiting China, mostly in the second half of last year.

On July 27-28, 2023, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) held a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.

The bilateral meeting took an hour and was followed by dinner for 2.5 hours. The two leaders agreed to continue to encourage Chinese investment in Indonesia.

President Jokowi sought China's support for the development of industrial estates in North Kalimantan and cooperation in the Nusantara Capital City.

Eight memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were produced during the meeting.

The MoUs included the commitment to increasing the exports of porang flour products, tabasheer powder, and edible bird's nests; strengthening cooperation in vaccine production, disease diagnostic tools, and health information system management; and planning for the new capital city.

Furthermore, the MoUs included the "Two Countries, Twin Park" under the synergy of the Global Maritime Fulcrum and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), language education, and other economic and technical cooperation.

China is Indonesia's largest trading partner, with a trade value reaching more than US$133 billion in 2022.

Meanwhile, in the investment sector, China is the second-largest investor origin country for Indonesia, with a value of US$8.2 billion in 2022.

Although the value is already huge, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi stated that the potential is still greater and will continue to be improved, for instance, in the fields of green energy, fiberglass, health, and petrochemicals.

Three months later, President Jokowi came to China again, this time to Beijing to attend the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) Summit on October 17-18, 2023.

President Jokowi met with President Xi again, but this time, the meeting was preceded by a state ceremony at the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People in China's capital.

Of the 20 heads of state and government who met with President Xi, only President Jokowi had the honor of being welcomed with a state ceremony.

President Jokowi also addressed the BRF plenary session by stating that the BRF principles in infrastructure development should continue to be maintained, especially when the world situation is increasingly polarized.

He affirmed that the principles in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) should not be politicized.

Thereafter, on September 14-19, 2023, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin visited Fuzhou, Nanning, and Shanghai in China.

In Fuzhou, Vice President Amin met with CEOs, general managers, and entrepreneurs from Fujian, Tianjin, and Shanghai engaged in the food sector, especially fishery and marine products.

At the meeting, the VP affirmed that the Indonesian government is committed to facilitating Chinese business players to invest in Indonesia's industrial estates. He also invited Chinese halal business entrepreneurs to invest in Indonesia.

Meanwhile in Nanning, Amin met with Premier Li Qiang to promote the Indonesia Pavilion at the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) that featured the pavilion "City of Charm" and flagship products from Central Kalimantan Province.

They also discussed the construction of high-speed rail and electric car supporting facilities, halal products, and cooperation in the field of vocational education between the two countries.

On September 6, 2023, Premier Li, along with Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, tested the Jakarta-Bandung "Whoosh" High-Speed Train.

In Shanghai, VP Amin visited the Assessment Institute for Foods, Drugs, And Cosmetics of the Indonesian Council of Ulema (LPPOM MUI) to meet with local halal product entrepreneurs.

In addition to President Jokowi and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, ministers and heads of government agencies took turns coming to China.

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono was present at the 18th World Water Congress on September 11-12, 2023, in Beijing to promote Indonesia as the host of the 10th World Water Forum in 2024.

Thereafter, Deputy Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Johanis Tanak also visited Beijing to ink an MoU between the KPK and the National Commission of Supervision (NCS) on October 17, 2023.

In the MoU, the two institutions agreed to strengthen several areas of cooperation, such as the provision of information and assistance in cross-border corruption and money laundering cases.

The MoU is a renewal of the agreement signed in 2007. The cooperation had borne fruit in 2014 when the KPK was assisted by the Chinese authority during the arrest of fugitive Anggoro Widjojo in the city of Shenzhen.

Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly, who visited Beijing on November 8, 2023, give a public lecture at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE). He also spoke on topics ranging from the ease of doing business in Indonesia to the development of Nusantara.

China, as the country with the largest economy in Asia, becomes a magnet for countries in the region, including Indonesia.

The International Monetary Fund projects China's economy to grow 5.4 percent in 2023 and 4.6 percent in 2024.

The Chinese government also remains confident that its economic growth can have a positive impact on countries around the world.

"China is widely considered the biggest driver for the world economy. China has a hyper-scale market with the biggest potential in the world," China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, stated.

Both Indonesia and China are two countries that need one another, so it is natural that cooperation between them is mutually beneficial and provides benefits for the people of both nations.

ANTARA

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