China, Indonesia co-host first meeting of people-to-people exchange mechanism

Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong is the co-host of the first meeting of the China-Indonesia people-to-people exchange mechanism. [Photo/Xinhua]

On the official visit to Indonesia , Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong co-hosted the first meeting of the China-Indonesia people-to-people exchange mechanism at vice premier’s level with Indonesian Coordinating Minister of Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indonesian President Joko Widodo sent congratulatory letters respectively to affirm the importance of the people-to-people exchange mechanism, and called for more cultural exchanges and cooperation between the two countries through the meeting.

During the meeting, the both sides reviewed the important achievements of bilateral people-to-people exchange, reached consensus on the role, target, operation mechanism as well as the future exchange and cooperation plan of the exchange mechanism, and released a joint communique.

Liu said the launch of the exchange mechanism is the practical action to implement the consensus reached between Xi and Widodo, while the meeting will definitely enhance the mutual trust and friendship between the two peoples.

She noted that the exchange mechanism is not only a major strategic decision to focus on the future, but also a commemoration to the 65th anniversary of the establishment of China-Indonesia diplomatic ties, and it will produce a profound and far-reaching influence on China-Indonesia ties as well as regional cooperation.

Liu suggested both sides to consolidate the public base for the bilateral ties from a strategic and long-term perspective, and continuously promote the pragmatic cooperation in people-to-people sectors through official and non-official contacts. She hoped the concept of people-to-people exchange could take root among the two peoples.

At the meeting, Liu and Puan also jointly witnessed the signing of seven cooperation documents in areas such as education, science and technology, and culture. Officials from nine Chinese ministries and commissions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, also attended the meeting.

On the same day, Chinese Vice Minister of Education Hao Ping gave an interview to Indonesian media, and stressed that the exchange mechanism between the both countries had the milestone significance.

According to Hao, the mechanism is an important consensus between the heads of the two countries through their visit to each other’s country in early 2015 as well as a strategic planning for the future relationship of the both countries.

Liu arrived in Jakarta on Tuesday, starting her six-day trip to Indonesia. During her stay, she has delivered a speech at the University of Indonesia, attended the launch ceremony of a new Chinese TV channel in Indonesia and visited the National Atomic Energy Agency.