By: Agus *)
Chinas Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fu Ying said Indonesia is a good neighbor at once partner and friend. They also hoped Indonesia will become their largest trade partner in Southeast Asian Region.
At first, both country declared strategic partnership in 2005 in Jakarta, which China and Indonesia want to further strengthen economic relations.
Actually, the agreement was reconfirmed during the first high-level economic dialog between the two countries held in Beijing, on January 26, 2015.
In the meeting, the Indonesian delegation led by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Sofyan Djalil and the Chinese delegation headed by State Council, Yang Jiechi was commited to strengthen economic contact particularly in trade and investment, in infrastructure, energy, also financial sectors.
Sofyan Djalil said “President Joko Widodo and President Xi Jinping followed up on the initiative of the high-level economic dialog between Indonesia and China at a meeting held on the sidelines of the APEC Summit (in Beijing). At that time, the two state leaders agreed to expand relations and cooperation in various fields within the framework of comprehensive strategic partnership.”
Sofyan Djalil emphasized that China is important strategic partner of Indonesia, then both nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on optimizing the development of coal-fired power plants, as well.
“Two Nations signed some cooperation agreements which evolved programs during the next five years including integrated industrial estates, financial cooperation, and development financing. Besides, agreed to enhance the cooperation in agricultural and fisheries sectors” he said.
Along with this, Sofyan Djalil has invited Chinese investors to invest in Indonesia such as road, seaports, electricity industry (plant), and the railway lines.
China investment will support the Indonesia’s aim in order to increasing power generation capacity as set by President Joko Widodo. Beside that Indonesia also arranged to build railway lines in Sumatra Province, double track lines on Java Island as well.
Indonesian Government also committed to provide an integrated one-door service to help investor submiting for licenses.
*) The Author Is Brunei Contributors