China, Indonesia agree to step up Belt and Road cooperation

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday stressed Indonesia's special connection with the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, calling on the two countries to strengthen cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

"I proposed the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road for the first time when I delivered a speech in Indonesia in October 2013. The alignment of the proposal with Indonesia's Global Maritime Fulcrum has enriched bilateral ties," Xi said when meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

Widodo is in Beijing for the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on Sunday and Monday.

Xi urged China and Indonesia to maintain high-level exchanges to further promote their comprehensive strategic partnership and consolidate political mutual trust.

Both sides should work to deepen pragmatic cooperation, promote infrastructure projects and ensure balanced growth of bilateral trade, he said.

He identified investment, finance, mining, agriculture and nuclear energy sectors as areas for further cooperation between China and Indonesia, in addition to counter-terrorism, drug control, cyber security and combating transnational crime.

The two countries should also carry out maritime dialogue and cooperation, promote exchanges in tourism, education and cultural sectors, and step up communication and coordination in multilateral organizations, Xi said.

He reaffirmed China's support for the building of the ASEAN community, adding that China is willing to work with ASEAN countries to seek greater progress in China-ASEAN ties and cooperation in East Asia.

For his part, Widodo said Indonesia believes the Belt and Road Initiative will bring about more cooperation opportunities for Indonesia and China.

Indonesia is willing to work with China under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, to upgrade bilateral trade and investment, he said.

It will also discuss with China the building of an economic connectivity corridor, and work to deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

Indonesia will maintain close communication and coordination with China in international and region affairs and support steady progress in China-ASEAN ties, he added.

A series of cooperation documents was signed after the meeting.