"This courtesy call is the first official visit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PRC (People's Republic of China) to our region and Jakarta (Indonesia’s capital city). This time is a single destination," Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi said.

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo received a courtesy call of the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Qin Gang, on Wednesday at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta.

Indonesia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi, who accompanied President Widodo on the occasion, said that Foreign Minister Qin Gang's courtesy call was his first official sojourn after being appointed a Chinese foreign minister in December 2022.

"This courtesy call is the first official visit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PRC (People's Republic of China) to our region and Jakarta. This time is a single destination," Retno said in her statement after the meeting.

Retno pointed out that that there were several things that President Widodo conveyed in his meeting with Foreign Minister Qin Gang, including matters regarding the importance of increasing mutually beneficial economic cooperation between Indonesia and China.

"In this case, I need to say that so far China is Indonesia's largest trading partner and our trade status is getting more and more balanced," she noted.

On the occasion, President Widodo also conveyed strategic cooperation that needs to be increased between the two countries.

The strategic cooperation includes the completion of the fast train project between Jakarta and Bandung city in West Java province, the construction of a green industrial park in Kalimantan island, the establishment of a would-be new capital city of Indonesia in East Kalimantan province and the downstream industry that is being run by the Indonesian government.

"The PRC’s foreign minister conveyed his commitment to continue to improve relations or economic cooperation with Indonesia, including to increase imports from Indonesia, especially for agricultural products," Retno said.

The president also opined that Indonesia and China be the engines of peace and stability in the region. According to him, economic development cannot be carried out without peace and stability in the region.

"In the meeting, the Chinese foreign minister expressed strong support for Indonesia's chairmanship in ASEAN," Retno said.

Indonesia received the turn of the chairmanship of ASEAN 2023 from Cambodia in November 2022 and set the theme 'ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth'.

Indonesia is ready to play this important role in leading the direction and goals of ASEAN political, economic and socio-cultural cooperation.

Reporting by Indonesia Window