Photo: VCG

In a phone conversation with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that the two countries should work together to fight the pandemic and set a model for health cooperation. 

Xi said that China-Indonesia relations have made steady progress amid the COVID-19 pandemic since last year and the two countries have launched a high-level dialogue and cooperation mechanism, building a new pattern for bilateral cooperation encompassing the economy, culture and maritime cooperation.

Xi said China will continue to cooperate with Indonesia on the vaccine industry chain and drug research and development. It will also help Indonesia build a regional vaccine production center, improving global public health governance on the basis of joint efforts to fight the pandemic.  

Both sides should promote cooperation in the post-pandemic period, and implement key projects such as the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, "the regional comprehensive economic corridor" and "Two Countries, Twin Parks," fostering new growth sectors such as new energy, low-carbon, digital economy and maritime cooperation.

Widodo said Indonesia will chair the G20 in 2022 and it is ready to work closely with China to make the G20 play a positive role in promoting international solidarity and world economic recovery. Widodo also sent best wishes to the Chinese people and expressed hope that the 2022 Beijing Winter Games will proceed successfully.

In 2021, bilateral trade and investment grew rapidly. The bilateral cooperation in health and medical care, especially in vaccine production and drug research and development, achieved remarkable progress. About 80 percent of Indonesia's vaccines come from China.  

The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway is expected to operate as scheduled. The bilateral relations are based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation, President Widodo said.

Indonesia is ready to strengthen cooperation with China in economy, trade and anti-pandemic efforts, as well as the key projects the two sides are cooperating on, said Widodo. 

Xi stressed that China attaches great importance to Indonesia's role in regional and international affairs and that China is willing to promote regional economic recovery and safeguard regional peace and stability. 

China is ready to work with Indonesia to practice true multilateralism, actively implement global development initiatives and safeguard the interests of emerging markets and developing countries, Xi said.