Cooperation on the fast track
Enduring partnership between China and Indonesia continues to thrive
China and Indonesia, as large developing nations and emerging markets, share similar positions in international and regional affairs, and closely cooperate, injecting stability and positive energy into the world, said the newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Wang Lutong.
Wang said that China and Indonesia are friendly neighbors and comprehensive strategic partners. China will continue to support and work hand in hand with Indonesia on their respective paths to modernization and national rejuvenation, leading bilateral relations toward long-term stability.
Next year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Indonesia. The ambassador noted that against the backdrop of accelerated changes in the world's century-old situation, China and Indonesia will continue to strengthen cooperation, which not only serves the common interests of both countries and their peoples, but also contributes to world peace, stability, development, and prosperity.
Data from China's General Administration of Customs show that in 2023, the bilateral trade volume between China and Indonesia reached $139.41 billion, with China importing $74.21 billion and exporting $65.2 billion. As of September, the bilateral trade volume reached $105.62 billion, nearly doubling in the past five years.
China has been Indonesia's largest trading partner for 11 consecutive years and has consistently ranked among the top three sources of foreign investment for Indonesia for eight consecutive years.
Flagship projects
The enduring partnership between China and Indonesia has blossomed over the decades with collaboration in trade and manufacturing thanks to the consensus reached on promoting synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Indonesia's Global Maritime Fulcrum (GMF) vision, proposed in 2014, relating profoundly to the concept, goals, and areas of the Belt and Road initiative.
A flagship cooperative project within the frameworks of the BRI and GMF, the 142.3-kilometer-long Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, celebrated one year of official operation on Oct 17. The railway has shown strong growth in passenger traffic, with a total of 5.79 million passengers carried, a peak daily passenger load factor of 99.6 percent, and high-speed trains operating safely for over 2.57 million km.
The railway marks the first comprehensive overseas application of Chinese high-speed rail technology and is the first high-speed railway in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Following its operation, the travel time between the two cities has been reduced to as fast as 46 minutes from over 3 hours.
Indonesian Minister of Transportation Budi Karya stated that the opening of the railway has garnered high recognition and appreciation from the Indonesian people, marking a new chapter in Indonesia's infrastructure.
The railway has also significantly boosted local tourism, with more than 330,000 foreign passengers from 159 countries and regions riding the railway in the past year. To enhance the travel experience, the railway has collaborated with more than 10 tourist attractions in Bandung to offer incentive packages, providing discounts on shuttle services, entrance fees, dining and accommodation for passengers holding high-speed rail tickets.
Kao Kim Hourn, secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, emphasized the historic significance of the railway, not only for Indonesia but also for ASEAN, showcasing the development potential that regional connectivity can unleash. Over the past year, China has actively provided comprehensive support in technology, equipment maintenance, and personnel training.
Recently, the final pile for the first and second berths at the Yuanhong operation zone in the Songxia port area of Fuzhou Port, Fujian province, was completed, marking the beginning of the project's new construction phase for the upper main structure.
As core ports under the China-Indonesia "Two Countries, Twin Parks", a vital part of the high-quality cooperation between the two nations under the BRI, the project features multi-purpose berths of 20,000 metric tons and 30,000 tons with a total investment of approximately 912 million yuan ($127.44 million) and is expected to be completed in July 2025.
Once completed, it will significantly increase the throughput capacity of Fuzhou Port, attract more industries near the port, facilitate trade, and strengthen economic and trade cooperation between China and Indonesia.
In January, 2021, China's Ministry of Commerce, Fujian province and the Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Investment signed a memorandum of understanding for the cooperation on the China-Indonesia "Two Countries, Twin Parks". China designated the Yuanhong Investment Zone in Fuqing, Fuzhou city, as the Chinese park, while the Indonesian side adopted a model of one park with three industrial zones.
To date, the Fuzhou Yuanhong Investment Zone has formed 69 cooperative projects with Indonesia, with a total investment of nearly 90 billion yuan. It is home to 376 new commercial and service enterprises, launching 35 trade projects in Indonesian fisheries, minerals, and more. A total of 251 industrial enterprises have been nurtured, including 111 large-scale industrial enterprises.
The zone has developed four major advantageous industries, led by grain and oil food, covering textiles and chemical fibers, light industrial machinery, and energy refinement. It possesses a first-class national port — the Yuanhong operation zone in the Songxia port area — with an annual throughput capacity of 10 million tons. In the first quarter of this year, the cargo throughput reached 1.34 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 4.56 percent.
wangjinhui@chinadaily.com.cn
