Senior Chinese leader, Jia
Qinglin, Sunday in Jakarta expressed confidence that with the
joint efforts of
China and Indonesia, bilateral relations will have a brighter
future.
Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's
Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC),
made the remark in his speech at a welcome gathering for people
from all sections of the Indonesian society.
In his speech entitled Strengthening Exchanges and Cooperation,
Creating a Beautiful Future Together, Jia said the signing of a
strategic partnership declaration by Chinese President Hu Jintao
and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last year ushered
in a new and historic period of bilateral relations.
Noting that both China and Indonesia were important developing
countries, Jia said the strategic partnership between the two was a
new style of international relationship that was non-alliance,
non-confrontational and not opposed to the involvement of any third
parties. The aim of the strategic partnership was to assist
maintain world peace and promote common development, Jia said.
In face of the new situations and the surging trend of
globalization China and Indonesia shared broad common interests,
Jia said.
"Developing the strategic partnership between the two sides is
in the best interests of the two countries, our people and is also
conducive to regional peace, stability and development," Jia
said.
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Jia said China and Indonesia were good neighbors who shared a
long-standing relationship. The deep friendship the two countries
enjoyed was historic and?had been developed over many years.
It had become a precious thing shared by both countries, he
said.
Indonesia was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic
relations with China. Since the two countries forged official links
over the past 50 years and more bilateral relations have made great
progress.
"Under the joint efforts of the government and people of both
countries, China-Indonesia relations have entered a new phase in
all-round development," Jia said.
Jia noted that the two countries had continuously enhanced
political trust and achieved good results in trade and economic
cooperation. Work had started on a series of large-scale projects
in such fields as energy, resource development and infrastructure.
These projects has helped push forward the development of bilateral
trade and economic cooperation and brought tangible benefits to the
people of both countries.
He said the two countries had also deepened cooperation in such
fields as culture, education, public health, science and
technology. The countries maintained close links on both regional
and international affairs.
Jia said as the Indonesian people suffered the unprecedented
natural disaster of earthquake and tsunami the Chinese government
and people conducted the largest ever overseas rescue maneuver
since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. This
reflected the deep friendship and compassion between the Chinese
and Indonesian people who were happy to help each other.
As two important developing countries in Asia, Jia said the two
were linked together with the same goals and required unity in the
face of the same challenges. Jia called for the two countries to
join hands and maintain peace and development of Asia
while?building a harmonious world of consistent peace and
common prosperity.
Noting that this year marks the China-ASEAN Friendship and
Cooperation Year Jia said relations between China and ASEAN showed
good momentum for development. Political trust between the two
sides has been enhanced continuously while cooperation in various
fields had been expanded.?
The establishment of China-ASEAN free trade zone was progressing
smoothly as two-way trade maintained a growth rate of nearly 30
percent every year, said Jia. If the growth continued, he added,
China and ASEAN would definitely be able to achieve the goal of
increasing trade volume to US$200 billion by 2010.
Jia, who was invited by the Chairman of Indonesia's People's
Consultative Assembly, Hidayat Nur Wahid, for a four-day visit
noted that in order to advance China-ASEAN relations, China was
ready to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Indonesia
especially in the fields of agriculture, finance, education, public
health and high and new technology.
ASEAN groups 10 countries in Southeast Asia --Brunei, Cambodia,
Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand and Vietnam.
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Jia arrived in Jakarta on Sunday morning after ending a visit to
Bali Province of Indonesia. He is scheduled to meet Indonesian
President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President, Yusuf
Kalla, in the next two days and leave the country on Tuesday.
(Xinhua News Agency March 27, 2006)