IRIA News

Indonesia’s newly elected President Prabowo Subianto came to China for his first foreign visit on April 1, 2024, marking a significant diplomatic engagement since winning the elections. The Indonesian President-elect Pabowo met with China’s President Xi Jinping and conveyed his intention to sustain the strong bilateral relations established under his predecessor, Joko Widodo.

Prabowo, the 72-year-old politician who currently serves as Indonesia’s defense minister, was elected as Indonesia’s president in February this year and will succeed President Joko Widodo, who despite previously rivaling the Prabowo, has now given him his support. 

According to China’s state-owned media outlet, Prabowo showed full support for “the development of closer Indonesia-China relations and wished to continue President Joko’s policy of friendship with China.”

During his trip, Prabowo said that Indonesia’s incoming administration aims to advance the harmonization of development strategies between the two nations and strive for enhanced collaboration in areas such as economy, trade, and poverty reduction.

He also emphasized China’s significance as a crucial partner, particularly in defense cooperation as he underscored his intention to strengthen defense ties with China to foster greater cooperation. “Regarding defense cooperation, I view China as one of the key partners in ensuring regional peace and stability,” he said in a statement.

Xi described Prabowo as an “old friend of the Chinese people” and said China views its relations with Indonesia from a strategic and long-term perspective, standing ready to deepen all-round strategic cooperation.

Despite differences over territorial issues in the South China Sea, Indonesia’s relations with China have generally remained strong. China holds the position of Indonesia’s principal trading partner and has made significant investments in Indonesian infrastructure and industrial ventures. An example of such collaboration is the establishment of Jakarta’s inaugural high-speed rail line last year, which received support from Beijing.

Prabowo’s choice to prioritize a visit to China over other neighboring countries in the region is a continuation of a policy cultivated over the past decade under Widodo’s leadership. During this period, China emerged as Indonesia’s primary trading ally, providing essential natural resources such as nickel and coal.

According to the official data from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Indonesia stands as China’s second-largest investment hub within ASEAN, with direct investments exceeding $4.55 billion in 2022.

Prabowo’s visit holds significant importance, not only for advancing bilateral relations over the next five years but also for infusing positivity and stability throughout the ASEAN region. Being a prominent economy within ASEAN, Indonesia aims to bolster friendly ties between China and ASEAN while fostering cooperation and development across the Asian region.

China’s diplomatic and economic outreach

China is also actively working to stabilize its diplomatic and economic relationships with both regional and global partners. Under these efforts, Beijing has increased engagements with Western leaders and representatives to expand communication channels, with a specific focus on strengthening economic connections with major global powers and bolstering its economy.

The French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne also arrived in China on April 1, to discuss trade issues and the war in Ukraine as he met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and the Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

China’s Li said during his meeting with the French Foreign Minister Sejourne, “It is hoped that France will provide an open, fair, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies, and actively promote the EU side to follow economic and market rules and properly address the concerns of both sides through consultation.”

Last week, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte visited China to hold a meeting with the Chinese leadership. The same week, President Xi also met with more than a dozen U.S. CEOs and academics as part of Beijing’s renewed endeavors to attract foreign investors and repair strained ties with the West.