Chinese premier urges closer economic, trade ties with Indonesia

China and Indonesia should work together to further expand bilateral economic and trade cooperation and push it to a higher level, visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said here Saturday.


The two countries should enlarge the scale of bilateral trade, step up cooperation in infrastructure construction and promote mutual investments, Wen told a forum of Chinese and Indonesian business leaders.


China and Indonesia should also intensify multilateral trade and economic cooperation, by making full use of the preferential policies of the free trade area between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he added.


The two countries should push for the development of China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation and boost mutually beneficial cooperation between developing countries at large, said Wen.


China and Indonesia are both major developing countries in Asia. Strengthening bilateral economic and trade cooperation is not only in the fundamental interests of the two countries, but also conducive to regional peace, stability and development, said the Chinese premier.


He urged entrepreneurs of the two countries to take the opportunity and work together with determination and courage for the deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.


China and Indonesia are good neighbors and strategic partners and their relations have entered a new stage of development, said Wen.


Bilateral trade and mutual investments have grown rapidly, cooperation in infrastructure construction has made strides, cooperation in finance has been on the upswing, and inter-regional and people-to-people exchanges have been on the rise, bringing substantial benefits to both peoples, Wen said.


The premier said that his visit was aimed at mapping out the future and deepening cooperation as well as boosting mutual understanding and friendship.


Indonesian Vice President Boediono told the same forum that China-Indonesia economic and trade cooperation, which has enjoyed rapid development, has broad prospects.


China's development has brought about rare development opportunities for its neighbors, including Indonesia, said the vice president. China's development is conducive to the promotion of regional peace, stability and prosperity, he added.


Indonesia is willing to work with China to further promote bilateral cooperation to benefit the two peoples.


The event attracted 180 officials and business leaders from China and Indonesia.


Wen arrived here on Thursday evening for a two-day official visit.
(Source:http://news.xinhuanet.com)