China's head-of-state diplomacy: China, Indonesia foster closer Belt and Road cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping first proposed the concept of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road in a significant address to the People's Representative Council of Indonesia, the Indonesian parliament, on Oct. 3, 2013, etching a profound influence on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers an important speech titled "Join Hands to Build a China-ASEAN Community with a Shared Future" to the People's Representative Council of Indonesia, Oct. 3, 2013. (Photo/Wang Ye)

Shortly after that, in 2014, Indonesian President Joko Widodo introduced his vision of the Global Maritime Fulcrum. Ever since, the two countries have constantly synergized through the BRI and the Global Maritime Fulcrum, which subsequently catalyzed several key cooperative projects, including the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, the regional comprehensive economic corridor, and the "Two Countries, Twin Parks" initiative.

When visiting Indonesia again in November 2022, Xi noted during a meeting with Widodo that China would continue to encourage outstanding Chinese companies to contribute to major infrastructure projects in Indonesia, including the development of Indonesia's new capital and the North Kalimantan Industrial Park.

Every facet of the North Kalimantan Industrial Park, from comprehensive planning to the use of materials, from terminal construction to road building, and from energy supply to pollution treatment, reflects the green development philosophy.

The park's site manager Xu Zhiguo, an employee of China's Tsingshan Holding Group, one of the park's investors, noted that bamboo materials are used for terminal construction in the park to enhance the silt layer's structure.

"Bamboo grows very fast. Replacing wood with bamboo reduces deforestation," Xu said.

Ye Weili, an employee of Tsingshan Holding Group, observed that the widely acknowledged Chinese principle, "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," has found its resonance in the North Kalimantan Industrial Park, taking deep root and becoming as omnipresent as the ubiquitous dandelions in the region.

Over the past decade, China has maintained its position as Indonesia's largest trading partner. In 2022, bilateral trade between the two nations amounted to $149.09 billion, up 19.8 percent year on year. The total contract value of engineering projects undertaken by Chinese enterprises in Indonesia exceeded $14 billion last year.

The joint efforts by China and Indonesia to build the Belt and Road have resulted in tangible benefits for both peoples, having a positive impact regionally and globally.