On 4 July, Mr. Sun Weide, Charge D’affaires of Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, gave an interview to the Chinese Media Delegation participating in the third Chinese Media Reporting Trip to ASEAN organized by ASEAN-China Centre (ACC). H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ACC, Mr. Vithit Powattanasuk, Director of Information and Public Relations Division of ACC, and Mr. Xu Hangtian, Counselor of Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, attended the event.
Charge D’affaires Sun stated that Indonesia and China have been active in aligning the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road with Global Maritime Nexus strategy and deepening practical cooperation and friendly exchanges in all fields, which has achieved fruitful outcomes and injected strong impetus to the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. The potential of cooperation between both sides has been unleashed. Chinese enterprises are expediting their paces to move in Indonesian industries of transportation, electricity, communications, mining, finance, equipment manufacturing and e-commerce. In 2015, China won the contract of Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, the very first high-speed rail programme in Southeast Asia. In 2016, China remained Indonesia’s largest trading partner for six consecutive years. The Chinese investment in Indonesia increased by 324% to USD 2.7 billion, upgrading China from Indonesia’s ninth largest investment source to the third place. China also for the first time became the largest source of tourists for Indonesia with 1.45 million Chinese visiting Indonesia. The electricity output of power plants constructed by Chinese enterprises has accounted for one fourth of Indonesia’s total output. Over 2,000 Chinese enterprises are starting businesses in Indonesia and Chinese brands are becoming more popular in Indonesia. Meanwhile, Indonesian products are also well recognized by Chinese consumers.
Charge D’affaires Sun also mentioned that Chinese Embassy in Indonesia gives priority to the Belt and Road Initiative. Through networking and creating an enabling environment, the embassy has facilitated the Jakarta-Bandung high speed railway, Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park, China-Indonesia Julong Agricultural Industry Cooperation Zone and other important projects. The embassy would continue to implement the consensus reached by both leaders and make full use of its strength to ensure solid, stable and productive implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative in Indonesia and win-win results for both countries.
In answering questions about the prospect of local cooperation between Indonesia and China’s Jiangxi, Guangxi, Shandong and Hainan provinces, Charge D’affaires Sun reiterated that local exchanges and cooperation are an important part of Indonesia-China relations. There are already 25 Sister Province and City relations between both sides. He expected that relevant Chinese provinces and cities could make full use of their geographical, commercial, cultural and interpersonal strengths and resources as well as economic complementarities to encourage both sides’ enterprises to conduct exchanges and cooperation in broader fields and deepen understanding between both peoples.
Secretary-General Yang commended the efforts and achievements the embassy made for practical cooperation between China and Indonesia. She outlined the recent work of ACC and committed that ACC would continue to serve as a bridge and bond and join hands with the embassy to make more contributions to deepening mutually beneficial cooperation between ASEAN and China and between Indonesia and China.