INDONESIA WANTS CONCRETE PARTNERSHIP WITH CHINA

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Nov 9 (Antara) - President Joko Widodo who arrived in Beijing on Saturday for an APEC summit held talks on Sunday with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Li Keqiang and observed China's integrated Tianjin seaport and power plant.          During the meeting with President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang, Joko Widodo who is popularly called Jokowi, said Indonesia expected relations with China to be mutually beneficial.          Indonesia also wants its comprehensive strategic partnership with China to be more concrete and implemented for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries.         "Indonesia and China already have relations for hundreds of years. This is an asset for the two countries to build a comprehensive strategic partnership. Ahead, I want this comprehensive strategic partnership to become more concrete," Joko Widodo said when he had talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Sunday.          Jokowi who is to attend the 22nd Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Beijing on November 10-11, 2014 was received by President Xi Jinping at the People's Great Hall of China where the two heads of state held a bilateral meeting.          President Jokowi said that if the comprehensive strategic partnership is made more concrete and implemented, it would benefit the two countries, particularly their peoples.          Indonesia and China established a strategy partnership through an agreement signed by then Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and then Chinese President Hu Jintao on April 25, 2005.          Both countries agreed to raise their strategic partnership to comprehensive partnership agreement when President Xi Jinping visited Indonesia in October 2013.          Chinese President Xi Jinping described Indonesia-China comprehensive strategic partnership as the most dynamic partnership in the Asia-Pacific region.         "The comprehensive strategic partnership between Indonesia and China continues to develop and constitutes the most dynamic in the Asia and Pacific region," President Xi Jinping said.     Xi Jinping said that the relationship between Indonesia and China had lasted for a long time. They have a very deep friendship.          "There is an Indonesian saying which reads: out of sight close to the heart. Even though the two countries are separated by the wide sea and ocean, the magnitude of the waves will not hinder our relations and exchange of visits such as that of Admiral Chengho   (who sailed to Indonesia in the past)  and (the presence of Chinese delegates) to the Afro-Asian Conference," said President Xi.          He said that the two countries have established a deep friendship and respect each other as common neighbors and old friends.          On the occasion, President Xi congratulated Jokowi who was elected as the seventh President of Indonesia recently for the coming five years.         "I am convinced under the leadership of Jokowi, Indonesia will become more advanced, including in development and in international affairs," the Chinese President said.          On the occasion President Jokowi also expressed his gratitude for being invited to the 22nd meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit which will be held on Monday and Tuesday.          President Jokowi also invited President Xi Jinping to attend the 60th anniversary of the Afro-Asian Conference in Indonesia.         In his meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, Jokowi said that Indonesia expected relations with China to be mutually beneficial, complimentary and trustworthy.         "We hope future relations between Indonesia and China are mutually beneficial, complimentary and trustworthy," he said adding the relations between the two countries have lasted for a long time.          President Jokowi  said he was glad he had an opportunity to make a working visit to Beijing.          The Chinese prime minister hailed President Jokowi's visit and hoped the relations between the two countries would continue to develop.          China's foreign exchange reserves now amount to US$3.5 billion. But China's investment in Indonesia up to 2012 only reached US$2.02 billion, according to data available at the China-ASEAN Business Council.          Indonesia could actually become an interesting place for foreign investors, particularly from China. This is because Indonesia as the largest country in Southeast Asia with a gross domestic product (GDP) reaching US$1 trillion has a positive economic growth, good investment climate and relative political stability.          In the trade sector, Indonesia-China's two-way trade up to 2012 was recorded at US$66.6 billion and is expected to increase to US$80 billion in 2015.         This amount is relatively small if compared with the China and Malaysia (the second country to be visited by Xi Jinping) trade target at US$100 billion in the same period.         In the tourism sector, Indonesia absorbed a small number of visitors from the Chinese market.         The United Nations World Trade Organization (UNWTO 2013) placed China as the first source of tourism market with expenditure valued at US$102 million in 2012, or an increase of 40 percent from 2011 which was only US$73 million.         The number of Chinese tourists making overseas trips in 2000 reached 10 million people and this number increased to 83 million in 2012.         The number of those who visited Indonesia in 2012 was only 726,088, lower than the number of Chinese visitors to Malaysia which totaled 1,56 million and Thailand 2.7 million in the same year.          On Sunday, President Joko Widodo also attended the Indonesia-China Business Forum.          Indonesian Trade Minister Rahmat Gobel said the Indonesia-China Business Forum was attended by about 300 Indonesian and Chinese businessmen.          "Businesses of both sides explored opportunities or economic cooperation potential," the trade minister said.  The forum was held in the Beijing's Wangfujing Renaissance Complex  on Sunday morning.          Rahmat said that the government will continue to encourage cooperation which benefits the two countries and improves the prosperity of their peoples.          On Sunday afternoon, President Jokowi visited China's Tianjin seaport and coal-fired power plant. Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto said  the facilities were in line with President Jokowi's development priorities, namely maritime, marine 'toll road', infrastructure, railway service, food and energy.          Tianjin is one of the four cities with a provincial level apart from Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing.          During the visit to the port, President Jokowi  was briefed by the operator regarding its size and capacity.  President Jokowi also inspected the port's container pier.          While at the power plant President Jokowi   was told about the efficiency of the plant which combined energy production with sea water purification, salt production and waste processing.          With a population of 14,1 million based on data in 2012, Tianjin has main industries, among others, petrochemical, textile, automobile and iron industries.          Tianjin seaport is the largest one in China's northern region and constitutes the important maritime gate to Beijing.          With a width of 121 sq km, Tianjin port is the largest  man-made-port in Beijing. Tianjin Power plant is a coal-fired power generator with a capacity of 2000 megawatts. It began operations in 2009. The power plant is the main electricity source of Tiajin, particularly the Binhai New Area.***2*** (T.A014/H-YH) (T.A014/A/A. Abdussalam/A/Yosep) 09-11-2014 22:15: