Forum hails progress in Sino-Indonesia cooperation

China and Indonesia's deepening strategic partnership is delivering gains for Southeast Asia's largest economy as the two nations enter the final year of the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2022-26), according to a forum in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Wang Lutong, Chinese ambassador to Indonesia, said that China and Indonesia had made great and tangible progress in their bilateral relations over the years.

Wang said bilateral trade has reached $167.5 billion by the end of 2025 and that China has been Indonesia's largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years.

He cited projects implemented under the China-Indonesia strategic partnership, such as the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway.

He added that the strategic partnership has accelerated cooperation in various sectors, including artificial intelligence, green transformation and people-to-people exchanges.

He said that the positive results achieved so far through China-Indonesia cooperation have been due to their mutually beneficial partnership and Chinese-style modernization.

According to Wang, China and Indonesia are moving toward the goal of building a community with a shared future.

Stella Christie, Indonesia's vice-minister of higher education, science, and technology, said China-Indonesia cooperation in education has spurred more Indonesians to study in China. There are some 15,000 Indonesians studying in China.

Christie said the two sides had also discussed ways of developing curriculum and infrastructure that match the labor needs of various industries.

Such an "industry-matched" curriculum will benefit Indonesian students once they start looking for jobs, according to Christie. For example, Chinese businesses that are keen to invest in Indonesia will look for skilled local workers.

"Because collaboration with China always means concrete action — and we have done that," Christie said.

Tong Xiaoling, vice-president of the China Public Diplomacy Association, said think tanks and media of both countries should have the responsibility to advocate for dialogue and cooperation.

She also encouraged representatives from Indonesian media and think tanks to visit China and experience Chinese modernization firsthand, and "introduce a true, three-dimensional and comprehensive China to the Indonesian public".

Santo Darmosumarto, director-general of Asia-Pacific and African Affairs at Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Indonesia-China partnership should remain deep and resilient.

He said a balanced trade structure gives Indonesia greater value-added opportunities for its exporters and small and medium enterprises, as well as greater access to the Chinese market.

Darmosumarto said technology transfer from China can support Indonesia's development of its electric vehicle and battery ecosystems, battery recycling, solar manufacturing, and renewable energy.

Bryant Gozali, CEO of Bolong Media Indonesia and Principal Cellist of the Jakarta Simfonia Orchestra, said Indonesia-China relations have moved beyond economics alone.

He said he had personally seen concrete examples of people-to-people exchanges through education, youth programs, tourism, arts and cultural events, and academic cooperation.

"For me, the inclusion of culture and people-to-people exchanges in the Indonesia-China plan of action is very meaningful. Economic cooperation is important, but relationships between countries become truly sustainable when there is mutual understanding and trust between their people," Gozali said.

Prime Sarmiento in Hong Kong contributed to this story.

The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily.