Li: China eyes mutual growth with Indonesia

China and Indonesia agreed on Friday to enhance their comprehensive strategic partnership to promote common development and inject sustained momentum into regional stability and prosperity.

The two countries signed multiple bilateral cooperation documents in the fields of industry, agriculture, fisheries, e-commerce and scientific and technological innovation during Premier Li Qiang's official visit to Indonesia, which concluded on Friday.

Li also attended the 26th Association of Southeast Asian Nations-China leaders' meeting, the 26th ASEAN-China, Japan and Republic of Korea leaders' meeting and the 18th East Asia Summit during his stay in Jakarta.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo held a welcoming ceremony for Li on Friday at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta before their talks.

Noting that Sino-Indonesian relations have maintained strong development momentum, Li told his host during the meeting that China is willing to work with the Southeast Asian nation to implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, and further strengthen the alignment of their development strategies for shared growth.

Li underlined the need for both countries to enhance mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, and jointly respond to various risks and challenges.

The two countries should continuously expand exchanges at all levels, make good use of high-level dialogue and cooperation mechanisms between them, and promote mutual learning and mutual promotion in the process of their national modernization drives, Li said.

The premier called for the continued expansion of practical cooperation and mutual interests in building a Sino-Indonesian community with a shared future.

China is willing to work with Indonesia to make full preparations for the formal operation of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, and build the regional comprehensive economic corridor and "Two Countries, Twin Parks" project into new flagship cooperation projects under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, he added.

Under the "Two Countries, Twin Parks" project, the two countries will develop several interconnected business sectors in industrial estates. The project, serving as a prominent initiative under the BRI, aims to establish key industrial parks such as the Fuzhou Yuanhong Investment Zone in Fujian province and an industrial park on Bintan Island, Indonesia.

The premier also said China supports Indonesia's construction of a new capital and is willing to accelerate the cultivation of new engines of cooperation, such as the digital economy and green development, and further strengthen cooperation in sectors including agriculture, medicine, healthcare, youth exchanges, culture and tourism.

Li called for further coordinated multilateral cooperation between China and Indonesia, saying that the two countries should carry forward the "Bandung Spirit", adhere to true multilateralism, and promote global governance to be more just and reasonable.

China is willing to actively help realize the ideals of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative with Indonesia at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels, he added.

Widodo asked Li to convey his sincere greetings to President Xi Jinping. He said that the comprehensive strategic partnership between Indonesia and China has achieved fruitful results in recent years.

Indonesia thanks China for its firm support for Indonesia's role as the rotating president of ASEAN and support for maintaining ASEAN's central position, said Widodo.

He said that Indonesia adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in trade and investment, agriculture and fisheries, infrastructure, the digital economy, new energy, tourism and healthcare, and take China-Indonesia relations to a new level.

Indonesia will continue to carry forward the "Bandung Spirit" and work with China to promote regional cooperation and jointly safeguard regional peace, stability and prosperity, he said.

On Friday afternoon, Li flew to India to attend the G20 Summit to be held in New Delhi on Saturday and Sunday.