PRESIDENT YUDHOYONO'S VISIT TO STRENGTHEN TIES: CHINA OFFICIAL

      Beijing, March 13, 2012 (ANTARA) - China is looking forward to the upcoming state visit of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and believes it will strengthen the already-sound bilateral relations between the two countries, a Chinese official said.
        "The state visit of President Yudhoyono is very important and will give a strong push to the bilateral relations between China and Indonesia", China`s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Fu Ying, told Indonesian journalists here, Tuesday.

       Yudhoyono is expected to make a state visit in Beijing on March 22-24, 2012, and will have bilateral talks with the Chinese leader.
      The two leaders will compare notes on bilateral and international relations, and reaffirm each others` policies on the bilateral relations, and explore further cooperation. China`s participation in the development of six economic corridor in Indonesia will also be high on the agenda, she said.
      They are also expected to issue a joint statement that will lay out wide agenda of partnership in the future, she said, adding that several important agreements will possibly be signed during Yudhoyono`s visit in Beijing.
      President Yudhoyono had visited China five times before, but his upcoming state visit will be his second.
      China sees Indonesia as a good friend, neighbor and partner that plays a strong role in the region, she said.
      "We feel very comfortable with our relations with Indonesia," she said, adding that the two nations have no serious obstacles so far.

China encourages its people to visit Indonesia as tourists and its businessmen to invest in Indonesia, she stated.

"Your (Indonesia`s) economy is healthy. Around 50-60 percent of domestic consumption contributes to your economic growth and Indonesia is attracting handsome amount of investments. China is very pleased with Indonesia`s economic situation," she said.

She also praises the Indonesian government`s important mediating role in the South China Sea problem.

The South China Sea problem is complicated because it involves neighboring countries, and therefore it is important to find peaceful means, she noted.

China hopes Indonesia will continue playing positive and constructive roles in maintaining peace in the regions, she said.

Since establishing strategic partnership in 2005, the bilateral trade between Indonesia and China has increased significantly, he said. In 2011, the bilateral trade value rose about 42 percent to around 60 billion US dollars. ***1***

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(T.F001/A/F001/A/H-YH) 13-03-2012 20:52:04