China, Indonesia hold inaugural meeting of high-level talks

In this file photo dated Jan 12, 2021, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (left) meets with Indonesia's Coordinator for Cooperation with China Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan in North Sumatra, Indonesia. (PHOTO / FMPRC.GOV.CN)

GUIYANG – The inaugural meeting of the China-Indonesia high-level dialogue cooperation mechanism was held on Saturday in Guiyang, the capital city of southwest China's Guizhou province.

The meeting was co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Indonesian president's special envoy and Indonesia's coordinator for cooperation with China.

The meeting was co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Indonesian president's special envoy and Indonesia's coordinator for cooperation with China

Noting Indonesia is an emerging economy and a major developing country, Wang said that China always views China-Indonesia relations from a strategic perspective and develops China-Indonesia cooperation from a global perspective.

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This meeting marks the establishment of the comprehensive high-level cooperation mechanism between the two countries, Wang said, adding that it is an important measure taken by the two sides to implement the consensus reached by the heads of state.

On the occasion of the first meeting, Wang said that both sides should set the long-term goal of jointly building a China-Indonesia community with a shared future, focus on political security, trade and investment, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, maritime cooperation and anti-epidemic and public health cooperation, so as to kick off a good start of the mechanism and open up a new situation of all-round development of China-Indonesia relations.

For his part, Luhut said that the establishment of the mechanism will provide new support for more effective cooperation between the two countries.

Indonesia is willing to work with China to accelerate the joint construction of the Belt and Road, deepen the construction of the regional comprehensive economic corridor, and forge the completion of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway on schedule, Luhut added.

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The two sides signed two memorandums of understanding on establishing a high-level dialogue cooperation mechanism and strengthening maritime cooperation between the two countries after the meeting.