INDONESIA CONSIDERS CHINA VERY STRATEGIC PARTNER by Fardah
Jakarta,
July 27, 2015 (Antara)- Indonesia-China ties have been developing rapidly
since the two countries initiated a strategic partnership in 2005.
The official visit of China's top political adviser Yu Zhengsheng to
Indonesia from July 25 to 28, 2015, has confirmed the importance of the
bilateral relations between Indonesia and China.
Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political
Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Yu Zhengsheng held meetings among others
with Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Setya
Novanto, President Joko Widodo and Chairman of the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) Zulkifli Hasan during the three-day visit. House
Speaker Setya Novanto when receiving Yu Zhengsheng at the Parliament
Building on July 27, stated that Indonesia considers China as a
significant strategic partner, with bilateral ties established 65 years
ago. "I think there is no doubt that China is a very important strategic partner for Indonesia," Novanto affirmed.
The DPR lauds what China has achieved and will do in order to
strengthen and intensify bilateral cooperation within the framework of
the comprehensive strategic partnership, he remarked.
The two countries should implement the cooperation agreements outlined
in the Five-Year Plan of Action for China-Indonesia Comprehensive
Strategic Partnership comprising wider and more concrete cooperation
programs in various fields, he remarked. The House Speaker and his guest in the meeting also discussed the maritime axis programs of their countries.
"I appreciate Yu Zhengshen as the chairman of the Chinese senate for
sharing information on their maritime axis (program)," Novanto said.
Indonesia and China have similar goals for their maritime sector. While
the Indonesian vision is called the global maritime axis, it is
referred to as the maritime silk road in China.
Another bilateral cooperation to be implemented is on the plan to
provide basic capital to establish a bank to fund infrastructural
projects.
This infrastructure bank is crucial for Indonesia's plan to develop the
sector, particularly maritime-related facilities, he pointed out.
Moreover, the Indonesian parliament hailed the target of ensuring
bilateral trade balance of US$80 billion in 2015, higher than the
US$48.23 billion recorded earlier. "We also hope that China opens wider access for prime commodities from Indonesia," he remarked. In 2014, the value of Chinese investment in Indonesia was US$800 million in 501 projects.
In addition, Novanto also urged China to boost its investment in
Indonesia, in the fields of energy and infrastructural development in
particular. Earlier on the same day, Yu Zhengshen held a meeting MPR Chairman Zulkifli Hasan.
Hasan stated that the visit of the Chinese assembly speaker is a
testament of the good relations between the two countries in terms of
the government and parliament.
On July 25, Zulkifli Hasan accompanied the CPPCC delegation, which also
comprised Chinese businessmen, in a visit to Tanjung Perak Port in
Surabaya, East Java Province.
"The Indonesian government hopes that the two countries can establish
cooperation that is comprehensive and mutually beneficial," Chairman of
the People's Consultative Assembly Zulkifli Hasan said here on Saturday.
In addition, the Chinese delegation made visiting the East Java
provincial city of Surabaya, which has a few number of Chinese descent
population, a priority. "They (the parliamentarians) are
interested in Surabaya because it is a big city with a large population,
has a huge port, and high economic growth," Hasan explained. Yu Zhengseng paid a courtesy call on President Joko Widodo at the State Palace, Jakarta, on July 27.
"The president received CPPCC Chairman Yu Zhengseng, who came to pay
him a courtesy call just now. Some issues were discussed at the
meeting," Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi said after
accompanying the president at the meeting, along with Coordinating
Minister for Maritime Affairs Indroyono Soesilo and Minister/State
Secretary Pratikno.
She added that at the meeting, President Joko Widodo once again
expressed hope for the targets of the economic cooperation between the
two countries to be met.
"China and Indonesia have set a target of carrying out trade activities
amounting to some US$150 billion and tourism activities worth US$10
million. They also seek a hike in investments," she stated.
The head of state expressed hope for an increase in cooperation between
the parliaments of the two nations to support efforts to achieve the
economic cooperation targets.
The minister further noted that Jokowi and the CPPCC chairman agreed to
boost cooperation among state-owned companies of the two countries. "We hope economic cooperation with China makes Indonesia a production base of Asia," the foreign minister remarked.
In the meantime, Minister Soesilo revealed that maritime cooperation
had also been discussed at the meeting. He added that China has its
maritime silk road program, while Indonesia has its world maritime axis
plan. On tourism cooperation, Soesilo observed that the
arrival of Chinese tourists in Indonesia had yet to reach the one
million a year mark, as compared to the four million Chinese who visited
Thailand in the first semester. "This is also part of the world maritime axis and maritime silk road programs," he explained. Almost
one million Chinese tourists visited Indonesia last year, and for this
year, Indonesia has set a target to double the number of Chinese
visitors.
The number of Chinese tourists visiting Bali increased sharply followed
the opening of direct flights between Beijing and Denpasar by the
nation's flag carrier Garuda Indonesia.
In the first five months of 2015, some 280,730 Chinese tourists visited
Bali, or an increase of 26.97 percent according to the Bali tourism
office. The number placed China the second after Australia in number of visitors to the country's most famous tourist island.
Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Xie Feng in an interview with Xinhua
correspondent in Jakara said the visit of Yu is of great importance in
bilateral high-level exchanges.
He said Yu's visit is the first in 10 years by a CPPCC National
Committee chairman which is highly expected by Indonesia.
Xie said Yu's visit will surely further bilateral understanding and
friendship, and boost closer relations of relevant state organs between
the two countries. ***2*** (f001/b003/B003)
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