Indonesia, China to Speed Up Belt and Road Initiative's Projects

President Joko Widodo welcomed a visit from Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi and his delegation at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Monday. Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, who accompanied Jokowi at the meeting, said the Chinese delegation discussed various bilateral issues, including the commitment to improve mutually beneficial relations.

Retno gave an example of the increasing scale of Indonesia-China trade. In 2021, trade between the two countries increased by more than 54 percent to US$110 billion. "A declining trade deficit of Indonesia also follows increased trade, and we see that market access for more superior Indonesian products is entering China's market," he said.

Other points that Jokowi discussed with Wang Yi include:

• Priority projects in the health sector.
• Private sector interaction between Indonesia and China.
• Completion of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project.
• Vaccine development and joint genomic laboratories.