Chinese, Indonesia FMs voice serious concerns over AUKUS nuclear submarine deal

ROME - State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Indonesia counterpart Retno Marsudi met here Friday, vowing to enhance bilateral ties and voicing serious concerns over the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal.

Wang, who is visiting Italy and is to participate in the Group of 20 (G20) meetings, hailed the China-Indonesia relations, saying bilateral ties are developing smoothly under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state.

Such a relationship is featured by deepened mutual trust, improved economic and trade cooperation amid challenges and enhanced investment cooperation in various fields, and the efforts of the two sides in jointly fighting the COVID-19 pandemic have proved fruitful, Wang said.

China is willing to continue strategic communication, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, work together with Indonesia to prevail against the pandemic, so as to further bilateral ties, Wang said.

Retno said she's pleased with the fruitful and pragmatic cooperation with China. Indonesia appreciates China's cooperation on COVID-19 vaccine, which supported her country's anti-pandemic endeavor.

Indonesia is willing to work with China and push forward cooperation in various fields so as to benefit the two peoples, she said.

The two sides exchanged views on G20 cooperation.

Wang said that China supports Indonesia in hosting the G20 Summit next year and is willing to work with Indonesia and other parties to help the summit to pay more attention to the legitimate demands of emerging markets and developing countries.

Retno said that Indonesia is willing to work together with China to promote the G20 to better safeguard the common interests of the emerging markets and developing countries, to pay more attention to the legitimate concerns of small and medium-sized countries, and to cope with global challenges in a more effective manner.

The two sides also discussed cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), agreeing to speed up preparation for the summit marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations next month.

Describing China-ASEAN ties as the most dynamic and effective relations with a promising prospect, Wang called on the two sides to implement the outcomes of the just-closed China-ASEAN leaders' meeting and take the 30th anniversary of the dialogue relations as an opportunity to summarize successful experiences while looking into the future in a bid to promote the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership.

The two sides also voiced serious concerns over the risk of nuclear proliferation caused by the Australia-UK-US (AUKUS) agreement for cooperation on Australian acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines.