China, Indonesia ready to open new chapter in bilateral ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with visiting Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Beijing on Saturday, with the two sides agreeing to further advance bilateral ties.

President Xi expressed his pleasure to meet with President Prabowo again, lauding that Prabowo's decision to make China the first country to visit after his election in March, and again as his first destination after taking office, reflects the high significance Prabowo places on China-Indonesia relation as well as the high level and strategic nature of bilateral ties.

Xi said that under the strong leadership of President Prabowo and that of the new government, Indonesia will continue to make new achievements in the journey of national prosperity and rejuvenation, play a more important role in the international and regional arenas and march toward its vision of "Indonesia Emas (Golden Indonesia) 2045."

Xi pointed out that China-Indonesia friendship has stood the test of time and grown from strength to strength.

The two sides have always understood and supported each other in their respective struggles for national independence and nation-building process, he added.

Standing at a new historical starting point, the Chinese president vowed to work with the new government of Indonesia to inherit the fine tradition of friendship and cooperation and adhere to the correct direction of China-Indonesia relations.

Xi called on the two sides to continue to write a new chapter of joint self-reliance, solidarity and cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win results as major developing countries.

He also called for demonstrating the regional and global influence of the China-Indonesia community with a shared future.

Xi emphasized that the two sides should consolidate a higher level of strategic mutual trust, closely engage in high-level exchanges and cooperation between the government, legislative bodies and localities, and strengthen exchanges of experience in governance.

He noted the two countries should firmly support each other in exploring the path of modernization in line with their own national conditions and firmly support each other in safeguarding their core interests and major concerns.

The Chinese president urged joints efforts to enhance cooperation across "five pillars" – politics, economy, people-to-people exchange, maritime affairs and security.

China is also willing to work with Indonesia to build more projects benefiting the people, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in areas including poverty reduction, medicine, food cultivation and fisheries, Xi told Prabowo.

Xi also voiced China's willingness to provide support for the training of scientific research personnel and the development of vocational education in Indonesia and said China will introduce more facilitation measures to expand people-to-people exchanges.

Noting this year marks the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and next year the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference, Xi said that both countries, as large developing countries, emerging markets and key members of the Global South, should jointly promote Asian values centered on peace, cooperation, inclusiveness and integration, and impart new contemporary connotations to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the Bandung Spirit.

He said China and Indonesia should lead the countries of the Global South in unity and self-reliance and jointly push the global governance system toward a more just and rational direction.

China is willing to engage in closer multilateral strategic coordination with Indonesia, oppose unilateralism and protectionism, promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

Prabowo stressed that amid the current complex international situation, Indonesia hopes to further strengthen all-round strategic cooperation with China and build a community with a shared future with regional and global influence.

Prabowo told President Xi that Indonesia is willing to continue to work with China to build the Belt and Road Initiative with high quality and improve the "five-pillars" cooperation pattern and welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest in Indonesia.

Indonesia firmly supports the Chinese government's position on the Taiwan question, firmly adheres to the one-China policy and firmly supports the efforts of the Chinese government to safeguard its territorial integrity and realize national unity, he stressed.

Noting that Xinjiang affairs are entirely China's internal affairs, the Indonesian president said his government adheres to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and firmly supports China's efforts to safeguard the development and stability of Xinjiang.

He also appreciated China's efforts to uphold justice on the Palestinian issue, adding Indonesia insists on independence and autonomy and adheres to a non-aligned foreign policy.

Prabowo vowed that Indonesia will not join any military alliance or "small circle" against a third party.

He voiced support of the three major global initiatives put forward by President Xi, saying the Indonesian side is willing to communicate and collaborate closely with China in multilateral frameworks such as the Group of Twenty (G20) and make positive efforts to safeguard the common interests of the global South, promote multipolarity in the world and push forward the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

After talks, the two heads of state witnessed the signing of a number of bilateral cooperation documents on joint development, blue economy, water conservancy, minerals and other fields.