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Indonesia Seeks Closer Ties with China
The Indonesian government seeks closer ties with China and it is considering moving forward to a higher level of mutual and beneficial cooperation with the country, Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab said in Jarkarta Friday, January 12.
Answering a question from Xinhua at an annual year-end press conference here, Shihab considered China as a strategic partner both in economy and other fields.
He promised that Indonesia would maintain its one China policy. "On China, we have a clear policy. We will keep maintaining our one China policy. We will not do anything that could endanger our relations with China," the minister said.
"We have no diplomatic ties with Taiwan. And if you say that Taiwanese leaders would pay visits here, of course, we will reject them. But if they are businessmen, or people who want to invest here, they are free to come here," he said.
Bilateral ties between Indonesia and China have seen significant progress recently.
President Abdurrahman Wahid visited China in December 1999, soon after he took office on October 20 of that year.
Meanwhile, Chinese Vice President Hu Jintao paid a visit to Indonesia in July 2000 as part of the efforts to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.
In addition, outlining the country's foreign policy in 2001, Shihab said Indonesia has set four agendas in connection with its diplomatic programs, namely enhancing diplomatic relationships, increasing bilateral ties, increasing extradition agreements with other countries and boosting socioeconomic and cultural cooperation with the international community.
He said the Association of Southeast Asia Nations will remain as the cornerstone of the country's foreign policy.
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