President Prabowo and President Xi Jinping Agree to Strengthen Indonesia-China Strategic Partnership

President Prabowo Subianto holds a bilateral meeting with President of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Xi Jinping, Saturday (11/09). (Photo by: Bureau of Press, Media, and Information (BPMI) of the Presidential Secretariat/Muchlis Jr)

President Prabowo Subianto held a bilateral meeting with President of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Xi Jinping, Saturday (11/09). In his introductory remarks, President Prabowo expressed his gratitude to President Xi for the special welcome, especially because this meeting took place on the weekend.

“I am very grateful for President Xi’s welcome, especially on this Saturday night, where President Xi welcomed me with a state ceremony,” said President Prabowo.

This meeting served as an opportunity for the two leaders to strengthen Indonesia-China relationship that has been going on for several centuries. President Prabowo also emphasized that China is not only considered as a great power, but also as a great civilization that has long interacted closely with Indonesia.

“We have lived side by side for centuries, and our cultures and societies have been interconnected for many years,” said the President.

President Prabowo also recalled the moment of his previous meeting with President Xi in April, when he still served as the Minister of Defense and had not yet been officially inaugurated as President-Elect of the Republic of Indonesia. On that occasion, President Xi welcomed Prabowo with high honor, which was considered as a symbol of China’s respect for the Indonesian people.

“I was very surprised, because I only asked for a short meeting in my capacity as the Minister of Defense, but President Xi welcomed me and gave me great honor,” recalled President Prabowo.

Furthermore, President Prabowo appreciated the presence of the special envoy from China at his inauguration, which was considered a form of respect for Indonesia. He emphasized that in the current geopolitical and geoeconomic situations, the close partnership between Indonesia and China is something natural.

“The two countries have now become close partners in various fields,” said President Prabowo.

During the meeting, President Prabowo also expressed his commitment to improving bilateral relations aimed at achieving prosperity and stability in Asia. He believed that the Indonesia-China relationship will create a conducive atmosphere in the Asian region.

As part of the increasingly strong relationship, President Prabowo also regarded China as Indonesia’s major strategic economic partner and one of its largest investors. He said that the next day he was scheduled to attend a meeting between the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a number of high-ranking Chinese companies, in which an investment agreement worth more than US$10 billion will be signed.

“This is a very significant achievement in our relationship, reflecting the comprehensive strategic partnership that we have built for more than a decade,” said President Prabowo. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/DNS) (TM/MMB)