REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BEIJING -- The Chinese government is committed to continue supporting the development of the four economic corridors of Indonesia in a more practical bilateral framework. The two countries will also work together to support efforts to prevent protection. 

"China will continue to enhance synergy in more practical cooperation related to development in North Sumatera, North Kalimantan, North Sulawesi and Bali as a comprehensive economic corridor," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a joint press statement with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi after the 3rd Meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) of China-Indonesia in Beijing, Friday evening.

New dimension in the mechanism of JCBC dialogue to strengthen the strategic cooperation between the two countries is expected to be realized, as well as new field of cooperation in the future. The JCBC also discussed the follow up of the infrastructure and connectivity projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which has been agreed between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indonesian President Joko Widodo in May 2017.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Marsudi said that the Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan will lead a visit of Indonesian delegation to Beijing in March, to discuss further development of four economic corridors in North Sumatera, North Kalimantan, North Sulawesi and Bali.

Marsudi asserted that the economic partnership, especially trade, must be based on the principle of equilibrium. "Indonesia wants a more balanced trade. We hope our featured exported products such as palm oil can be increased, and this has been discussed during President Jokowi's visit last year," she said.

The value of trade between the two countries during 2017 has reached US$63 billion.

While the value of China's investment in Indonesia in 2017 has reached more than US$3 billion.These investments are mainly for projects related to infrastructure development to synergize the concept of maritime axis construction in Indonesia.

"But it is also important to maintain the concept of ownership of each country. Both countries have a comprehensive strategic partnership as been stated by Foreign Minister Wang Yi that we have an 2017-2021 action plan which can be used as a guide for bilateral relations," Marsudi said. 

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