Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo agree to boost cooperation on infrastructure and maritime issues during meeting in Bali.
“:”China and Indonesia agreed to boost infrastructure and maritime cooperation and strengthen “strategic coordination” in regional affairs as Beijing and Washington vie for influence in Southeast Asia . President Xi Jinping held talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Wednesday in Bali, where he also attended the G20 summit and met other world leaders – including US President Joe Biden – as part of his first overseas trip since last month’s Communist Party national congress . Before their meeting, the two leaders witnessed a trial run of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, a landmark project under the Belt and Road Initiative , China’s global infrastructure development strategy. The railway is expected to start operating comercially in June 2023. The two countries have enjoyed friendly ties over the past year. Widodo was the first foreign leader to visit Beijing after the Olympics in February, while Indonesia was the first foreign country Xi visited after securing a third term at the 20th party congress. “It demonstrates the important position of China-Indonesia relations in their respective foreign policies,” Xi said, adding that the two countries have set an example for developing countries to work together for mutual benefit.
