It is very important that both the Indonesian and Chinese governments have committed themselves to promoting bilateral trade and economic relations, according to visiting Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid Friday.

Wahid said at the China-Indonesia Economic and Trade Seminar sponsored by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) that bilateral economic ties, based on mutual

respect, have broad prospects. He also promised that the Indonesian government will provide convenience to help facilitate bilateral economic and trade flow.

CCPIT President Yu Xiaosong said that the two economies feature strong complementarity, adding that the visit by Wahid immediately after he assumed presidency has shown his determination to promote Sino-Indonesian relations, and has undoubtedly provided opportunities for cooperation between entrepreneurs of both countries.

Sino-Indonesian trade volume had risen by threefold to 4.51 billion US dollars in 1997 since the resumption of bilateral relations in 1990. The trade volume dropped though in 1998 due to

the impact of the Asian financial crisis, but reported a recovery this year with a 34.1 percent increase in the first ten months compared to the same period last year.