REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BEIJING -- The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) and the National People's Congress (NPC) of China have agreed to enhance cooperation between the two nations.

The two parliaments reached the agreement during a meeting between the deputy to the DPR's secretary general for information and inter-parliament cooperation, Slamet Sutarsono, and the deputy secretary general of the NPC permanent committee, Cao Weizhou, here on Wednesday.

Slamet expressed hope that the cooperation and relations between the two nations, including inter-parliamentary ties, could be intensified in the future.

"The mutual visits by the two countries' government and state officials will help improve mutual understanding, which will eventually lead to increasingly closer relations and cooperation," he said.

Although the two countries adopted different political systems, they have learned from each other, including the management of public relations, relations with media, and handling of public complaints about parliament's performance, he added.

"As we all know, public relations play a role in disseminating information, familiarizing the public with laws and regulations, and accommodating the public's aspirations," Slamet noted.

Meanwhile, Cao said relations between Indonesia and China have continued to grow positively. "In the political field, both nations have developed mutual trust. Likewise, defense, maritime, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries are improving," he said.

Relations between the two countries have become increasingly strategic following Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Indonesia in early October. "Both nations have agreed to promote the existing strategic partnership into a comprehensive strategic partnership," he noted.

During the visit, the two leaders discussed a wide range of issues related not only to bilateral relations but also regional and global issues of mutual concern, Cao said.

"Given the positive developments, the NPC strongly supports any effort to forge relations with Indonesia, including inter-parliamentary cooperation and relations. Good inter-parliamentary ties are an integral part of Indonesia-China cooperation," he added.

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