Chinese President Xi Jinping recently invited Prabowo Subianto as the new President of the Republic of Indonesia to visit China on April 1, 2024. Not to forget, during the meeting, Xi congratulated Prabowo Subianto on Prabowo Subianto's victory in the 2024 presidential election yesterday, as well as conveying his gratitude and a sincere message to Joko Widodo through Prabowo. It was reported that at the meeting, Xi wanted to hold talks on bilateral relations between Indonesia and China regarding commitments to solidarity and cooperation in the future. Not to forget, during the meeting, Xi congratulated Prabowo Subianto on his victory in the 2024 presidential election yesterday.
During his meeting with Prabowo, Xi recalled the past decade of bilateral relations under the guidance of the two heads of state which he felt had a positive and beneficial impact. Xi considers the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train to be one of the high-quality bilateral collaborations that initiates new innovations in commitment to future cooperative relations.
From China's perspective, China's bilateral relations with Indonesia are a long-term strategic collaboration, so that China has stated that it is willing to fully support Indonesia's policies as a whole. In other words, China plans to build a Chinese Indonesian community with influence that not only reaches a regional scale, but also a global scale in order to build peace, stability and prosperity on a regional and world scale.
Xi said that the key to the success of relations between Indonesia and China is the result of maintaining strategic independence and strong trust in each other so that integrity and fairness are established. This is increasingly strengthened by the situation between Indonesia and China, which according to Xi are two countries that both represent world market driving countries as developing countries and emerging new markets. Moreover, in the past, the two countries were like links in a chain that were linked to each other in fighting for their respective independence and national development. Therefore, Xi promised that the relationship between the two in the future could be more united, so that it would become an example of sustainable cooperation and become a leader in mutualist south-south cooperation. Both parties must firmly follow the direction of development in accordance with their respective national conditions, support each other in safeguarding sovereignty, security and development interests, and understand and support each other on issues involving core interests and their respective main concerns, according to Xi.
He also added that currently, a number of important changes that have not occurred in the past century are taking place more rapidly throughout the world, Xi said that both sides should actively practice the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence; vigorously promote the Bandung spirit of solidarity, friendship and cooperation; promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and economic globalization that is inclusive and beneficial to everyone; strengthening multilateral coordination; and safeguarding the common interests of developing countries.
Xi said China is willing to maintain close exchanges with Indonesia, share experiences in governance, strengthen the synergy of development strategies, further push forward the construction of the "Two Countries, Twin Parks" and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Corridor. Economic Corridor/RCEC), as well as continuing to deepen maritime cooperation.
He added that China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Indonesia in terms of reducing and eradicating poverty, as well as providing support regarding these efforts.
Xi said to Prabowo that China is ready to work with Indonesia to uphold ASEAN unity and centrality, maintain an open and inclusive regional architecture, and build a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.
Prabowo conveyed President Joko Widodo's sincere greetings to Xi, and said he was very happy to make China the first country he visited after being elected. For him, China is an influential power and the two countries always respect and treat each other as equals, Prabowo added. He also expressed his admiration for the great achievements achieved by the Chinese people under the leadership of President Xi. He hopes to learn from the Chinese Communist Party's experience and deepen exchanges on governance.
Prabowo said China is a strong partner for Indonesia, and Chinese companies have played an important role in Indonesia's economic growth and contributed to Indonesia's national development in recent years. He stated that he supports the development of close relations with China, continuing the policy of friendship towards China, upholding independence, and upholding the "one China" policy which the Indonesian government always adheres to.
Prabowo added that Indonesia and China will firmly support each other's core interests, encourage the development of comprehensive and high-quality bilateral relations, and implement important consensus to build a community with a shared future between the two countries. The new Indonesian government is willing to actively strengthen the alignment of the two countries' development strategies and encourage more cooperative results in various fields, such as the economy, trade and poverty alleviation in order to bring more benefits to the two nations.
Prabowo said he appreciated China's always upholding honesty and justice in international affairs, especially in the Palestinian issue. He added that Indonesia is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China in international and regional affairs, and make greater contributions to South-South cooperation.
