VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Feb. 10 - Indonesia-China relations got closer and reached their highest level in several cooperation sectors despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia, Xiao Qian, said.

"In 2020, China-Indonesia relations passed through an extraordinary year. Under the attention and promotion of their state leaders, governments and peoples, the two states have helped and supported each other to solve common difficulties," he said during a press briefing here on Tuesday.

The close relations were reflected in communications between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who held telephone conversations thrice and wrote a letter to each other when the two countries marked 70 years of diplomatic relations in 2020, he added.

In addition, ministers from the two countries paid reciprocal visits, he said. Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe and Foreign Minister Wang Yi who visited Indonesia, while Indonesian Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, and State-Owned Enterprises Minister, Erick Thohir, paid visits to China, he noted.

"The high-level exchange between the two nations is getting closer and mutual trust continues to deepen," Qian said.

He said Indonesia and China have worked hand in hand to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

"In times of crisis, when China fought against the pandemic, the Indonesian government provided medical supplies to help China. Soon after the pandemic spread in Indonesia, China offered medical assistance and shared diagnosis and treatment experiences without reservation," he elaborated.

In the meantime, pharmaceutical companies from the two countries conducted the third phase of clinical trials of the COVID-19 vaccine and promoted cooperation in the joint procurement, research, development and production of vaccines, he said.

Economic cooperation between the two nations also made fresh progress with China maintaining its position as Indonesia's biggest trade partner and second largest foreign investor, he added.

"In 2020, bilateral trade between China and Indonesia reached US$78.37 billion, with China's imports from Indonesia reaching US$37.37 billion, or up 10.13 percent compared to a year earlier," he said.

China's foreign direct investment in Indonesia also spiked 72.9 percent from a year ago to reach US$1.83 billion, he added. (Antaranews)