The synergy between the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Indonesia's Global Maritime Fulcrum strategy will boost the cooperation between the two countries and bring more benefits to both peoples, Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Xiao Qian said in an interview with China.org.cn in Jakarta on Dec. 13.

Xiao said the memorandum of understanding signed by China and Indonesia on the BRI and the Global Maritime Fulcrum strategy last October took their integration of the two development strategies to a new high.

Guided by the principles of extensive consultation, joint development and shared benefits, as well as openness, transparency and inclusiveness, the two countries have achieved notable progress in broad-ranging cooperation, he said.

According to the ambassador, the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, a landmark in China-Indonesia cooperation under the BRI is undergoing comprehensive implementation, while joint building of a regional economic corridor represented a new milestone in achieving synergy between the two countries' development strategies.

He said that China and Indonesia, both major developing countries with huge markets and development potential, face a great development opportunity.

China has been Indonesia's biggest trading partner for seven years, and also among its largest investors. Last year, two-way trade reached US$63.3 billion, a growth of 18.3 percent year on year. In particular, Indonesia's exports to China increased by 33 percent, achieving greater trade balance.

According to Xiao, 43 Indonesian companies attended the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) held in Shanghai last month, signing deals worth US$720 million, and some of the participants have already registered for the second CIIE next year.

He said that China, currently possessing the largest middle-income population in the world, can offer enormous business opportunities for Indonesian companies as it opens wider to the outside world. In the coming 15 years, China is expected to import over US$30 trillion in goods and over US$10 trillion in services.

Xiao also noted that, with the rapid development of information technology, Indonesia is well on its way to becoming a competitive and appealing destination for foreign investment in e-commerce, big data, artificial intelligence and other fields, offering greater space for the cooperation between the two countries.

Speaking of the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation scheduled for next year, the ambassador said that China welcomes Indonesian representation to promote further growth of the bilateral relations.

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