Chinese vice-president attends inauguration of Indonesian president, visits Indonesia

JAKARTA -- At the invitation of the Indonesian government, Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng, as President Xi Jinping's special representative, attended the inauguration of Indonesia's new President Prabowo Subianto on Sunday, visited Indonesia from Saturday to Monday, and met with President Prabowo, then President Joko Widodo and newly inaugurated Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka respectively.

In the meeting with Prabowo, Han noted that President Prabowo's visit to China right after his election victory demonstrated his deep affection and profound friendship toward China and his commitment to advancing China-Indonesia relations.

Han pointed out that President Prabowo emphasized key priorities such as food security and poverty reduction in his inaugural address, aligning closely with the people-centered development approach proposed by President Xi.

Han affirmed China's support for President Prabowo and the new government, expressing confidence that Indonesia, under Prabowo's leadership, will achieve further progress in national development.

China is willing to work with Indonesia to follow the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, push the building of the China-Indonesia community with a shared future to a new level, and contribute to maintaining regional peace and stability while promoting world development and prosperity, Han said.

Han also put forward three proposals for the next phase of China-Indonesia relations. First, to strengthen high-level strategic mutual trust and continue supporting each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns. Second, to deepen comprehensive, mutually beneficial cooperation to benefit more people of the two countries. Third, to enhance international collaboration to promote the development of global governance in a more just and reasonable direction.

Prabowo said that China, as a major country in the world, is a key partner for Indonesia. He said the new Indonesian government attaches great importance to developing relations with China and will continue Joko Widodo's friendly policy toward China.

Indonesia is willing to further deepen mutual support and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides, strengthen coordination on international and regional affairs, and promote greater development of bilateral relations, he said.

While meeting with Joko, Han pointed out that the past 10 years have witnessed high-level development of China-Indonesia relations, and the two heads of state have jointly led the upgrading of China-Indonesia relations into a new era of building a community with a shared future.

Han said China is willing to work with Indonesia to carry forward the fine tradition of friendship and cooperation, deepen all-round strategic coordination, jointly promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, ensure smooth operation of major cooperation projects such as the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, continuing to write a new chapter of solidarity, cooperation and mutual benefit.

Joko said that in recent years, bilateral cooperation has achieved fruitful results.

Noting the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway is a landmark cooperation project between the two countries and a symbol of their friendship, Joko said under the leadership of the new Indonesian government, bilateral relations will reach new levels.

In the meeting with Gibran, Han said that China and Indonesia are good neighbors and good partners, adding that cooperation between the two sides is highly complementary and mutually beneficial, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples.

China is willing to strengthen the synergy of development strategies of the two countries in light of the policy priorities of the new Indonesian government, and continue to deepen practical cooperation in various fields, ensuring mutual benefit in a better way, Han said.

For his part, Gibran said that the new Indonesian government is willing to work with China to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state.

He said that Indonesia will continue to consolidate the good momentum in developing bilateral relations, and unswervingly deepen bilateral cooperation to better benefit the two countries and peoples.