President Jokowi Calls for Strengthening Belt and Road Initiative
President Jokowi attends the opening of the 3rd Belt and Road Forum (BRF), Wednesday (10/18), in Beijing, the People’s Republic of China. (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/Laily Rachev)
The value of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) should be maintained to strengthen synergy and cooperation in infrastructure development, according to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
“I hope that the BRI’s cooperation in infrastructure development can continue, and in the midst of an increasingly divided world, BRI cooperation must not be politicized. It requires our joint efforts to maintain the main value so that this initiative becomes stronger and more impactful,” the President said at the opening of the 3rd Belt and Road Forum (BRF), Wednesday (10/18), in Beijing, the People’s Republic of China.
According to President Jokowi, a sense of ownership is very important for sustainability of the project.
“Indonesia has a national Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Train project with the BRI, and the project has recently been launched and is in operation,” the President said.
The President also expressed hope that in the future the cooperation can also be carried out in the development of the new capital of Indonesia, energy transition and industrial downstreaming.
The President also said that the BRI project should be based on the principle of equal partnership and mutual benefit among the parties, and should be equipped with careful planning, a transparent funding system, absorption of local labors, and use of domestic products.
President Jokowi further said that the sustainability of the BRI project should be maintained in the long run and should strengthen the economic foundations of partner countries, without adding any fiscal burdens.
On that occasion, the President also expressed his appreciation to the Government of the People’s Republic of China for the contribution to developing countries through the BRI. (BPMI SETPRES/AIT) (RI/LW)
