Beijing (22/4/2011)—Two Chinese top leaders, Wu Bangguo
(Chairman of the National People’s Congress or NPC) and Premier Wen Jiabao, pledged to encourage
Chinese investors to increase their investment in Indonesia. The two leaders
also hailed the proposal that China establish Cement manufacturing factories as
well as motorcycle production plants in Indonesia. The said proposal was
brought up by the Chairman of Indonesian House of Representative, Marzuki Alie, during his meetings
with the NPC Chairman and the Chinese Premier respectively on 20 April 2011 and
21 April 2011 in Beijing, PRC.
‘The relations between Indonesia and China are now at its peak. This
momentum needs to be maintained and promoted through intensive collaborations
to improve the common welfare of the two people,’ said Marzuki
Alie to the two top Chinese leaders. ‘The strategic
partnership signed by Indonesia and China in 2005 covering cooperation in the
fields of politics, economy and socio-cultural have provided a strong
foundation for the advancement of sustainable bilateral cooperation,’ Marzuki Alie further asserted.
The two sides welcomed the successes that had been achieved so far and
shared the view that both countries should continue to enhance and deepen the
on-going cooperation.
The bilateral trade volume in 2010 has reached US$ 42.8 billion – a sharp
increase compared to US$ 28 billion in 2009 – but there is still a wide room to
expand especially following the implementation of ASEAN-China Free Trade Area
(ACFTA). There are some issues to manage by both sides, among others, the trade
deficit and the downward consequences of this free trade regime, particularly
to some prone small and medium scale industries in Indonesia.
‘To China, it is not about going in for surplus, but rather establishing
a long-term, balanced and sustainable cooperation,’ Premier Wen
stated in response. ‘Therefore the Chinese Government will continue to promote
imports of Indonesian products and to partake in the infrastructure development
in Indonesia’, he further added. This subject will be one of the main issues to
be discussed during his visit to Indonesia.
Marzuki Alie acknowledged that Chinese investment in Indonesia had
not reflected its real potentials. He hence expected that the Chinese
Government could encourage their investors to expand their investment in
Indonesia. Currently, the Chinese investors have been participating in various
projects, such as building bridges and power plants. It is expected that with China’s
growing economic power, it could increase and expand its investment, among
others, in railways and freeways, as well as construct cement factories and
motorcycle production plants in Indonesia which China fully subscribed to.
Indonesia and China have strong and deep historical and cultural ties. Yet,
these two areas need to be deepened and reinforced, particularly in the context
of people-to-people interactions. The two sides concurred that it was of
significant importance to enhance cooperation in tourism, youth, education, and
sports, as well as to intensify contacts between the political parties and
parliaments of the two countries, to strengthen relations at the grass-root level.
On regional and international cooperation milieu, Marzuki
Alie recognized the vital role of China, including
its parliament, in addressing and seeking solutions for any emerging issues in
the region and in the world. His Chinese counterparts also acknowledged
Indonesia’s important standing, especially as the current ASEAN Chair. In this
regard, China expected that Indonesian could play constructive roles in
advancing ASEAN-China relations. Both sides agreed to fortify collaborations in
various international forums, such as the UN and G20.
During his trip in China, the Chairman of Indonesian House of
Representatives and the accompanying delegates also met with the NPC
Vice-Chairman Simayi Tieliwaerdi,
a prominent Moslem leader of Uygur-Xinjiang ethnic. The delegation also visited
China Road and Bridge Corporation, ZTE Telecommunication Corporation and Beijing Modern Automobile Company. In
Tianjin, they were received by the Chairman of the Local Parliament of Tianjin
Municipality, and then made visits to Tianjin
Cement Industry Design and Research Co.Ltd, Dongjiang Bonded Port dan 320 Tianjin Airbus Company.