Senior Chinese leader, Jia Qinglin, Sunday in Jakarta expressed confidence that with the joint efforts of China and Indonesia, bilateral relations will have a brighter future.

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made the remark in his speech at a welcome gathering for people from all sections of the Indonesian society.

In his speech entitled Strengthening Exchanges and Cooperation, Creating a Beautiful Future Together, Jia said the signing of a strategic partnership declaration by Chinese President Hu Jintao and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last year ushered in a new and historic period of bilateral relations.

Noting that both China and Indonesia were important developing countries, Jia said the strategic partnership between the two was a new style of international relationship that was non-alliance, non-confrontational and not opposed to the involvement of any third parties. The aim of the strategic partnership was to assist maintain world peace and promote common development, Jia said.

In face of the new situations and the surging trend of globalization China and Indonesia shared broad common interests, Jia said.

"Developing the strategic partnership between the two sides is in the best interests of the two countries, our people and is also conducive to regional peace, stability and development," Jia said.
 
Jia said China and Indonesia were good neighbors who shared a long-standing relationship. The deep friendship the two countries enjoyed was historic and had been developed over many years. It had become a precious thing shared by both countries, he said.

Indonesia was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with China. Since the two countries forged official links over the past 50 years and more bilateral relations have made great progress.

"Under the joint efforts of the government and people of both countries, China-Indonesia relations have entered a new phase in all-round development," Jia said.

Jia noted that the two countries had continuously enhanced political trust and achieved good results in trade and economic cooperation. Work had started on a series of large-scale projects in such fields as energy, resource development and infrastructure. These projects has helped push forward the development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation and brought tangible benefits to the people of both countries.

He said the two countries had also deepened cooperation in such fields as culture, education, public health, science and technology. The countries maintained close links on both regional and international affairs.

Jia said as the Indonesian people suffered the unprecedented natural disaster of earthquake and tsunami the Chinese government and people conducted the largest ever overseas rescue maneuver since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. This reflected the deep friendship and compassion between the Chinese and Indonesian people who were happy to help each other.

As two important developing countries in Asia, Jia said the two were linked together with the same goals and required unity in the face of the same challenges. Jia called for the two countries to join hands and maintain peace and development of Asia while building a harmonious world of consistent peace and common prosperity.

Noting that this year marks the China-ASEAN Friendship and Cooperation Year Jia said relations between China and ASEAN showed good momentum for development. Political trust between the two sides has been enhanced continuously while cooperation in various fields had been expanded. 

The establishment of China-ASEAN free trade zone was progressing smoothly as two-way trade maintained a growth rate of nearly 30 percent every year, said Jia. If the growth continued, he added, China and ASEAN would definitely be able to achieve the goal of increasing trade volume to US$200 billion by 2010.

Jia, who was invited by the Chairman of Indonesia's People's Consultative Assembly, Hidayat Nur Wahid, for a four-day visit noted that in order to advance China-ASEAN relations, China was ready to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Indonesia especially in the fields of agriculture, finance, education, public health and high and new technology.

ASEAN groups 10 countries in Southeast Asia --Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
 
Jia arrived in Jakarta on Sunday morning after ending a visit to Bali Province of Indonesia. He is scheduled to meet Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President, Yusuf Kalla, in the next two days and leave the country on Tuesday.

(Xinhua News Agency March 27, 2006)