REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Thursday (18/4/2024). According to Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, during this meeting, one of them discussed the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail and the Surabaya high-speed rail.

Jokowi pushed for the transfer of technology in the operation of the Jakarta-Bandung fast train and accelerated completion of the feasibility study for the extension of the route to Surabaya.

“Mr. President spoke about the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail issue and encouraged the transfer of technology, and the need to accelerate the completion of feasibility studies for the extension of the route to Surabaya,” Foreign Minister Retno said at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta.

Moreover, Foreign Minister Retno said that the detailed discussion regarding fast trains will continue tomorrow at the high level dialogue on the cooperation mechanism in Labuan Bajo.

“For the economy, I mentioned the issue of fast trains and so on tomorrow will be discussed in Labuan Bajo. Earlier I said at the HDCM forum Mr. Menko Marves, I, and from the RRT side will be chaired by Foreign Minister Wang Yi,” he said.

In addition, Jokowi also encouraged China to conduct development cooperation in the capital of the archipelago (IKN), one of them in the field of transportation. Jokowi also encouraged the implementation of strategic projects in the Kaltara industrial area for investments in petrochemicals.

According to Foreign Minister Retno, President Jokowi stressed the importance of the two countries increasing mutually beneficial economic cooperation. In the field of trade, for example, trading volumes are encouraged to continue to increase and be more balanced. “So it has been very much more balanced judging by the bilateral trade of the two countries,” he said.

Jokowi also hopes that the opening of Indonesian product market access to China will continue, including the completion of a protocol for the import of Indonesian agricultural and fishery products. In the field of food security, Jokowi stressed the importance of improving agricultural cooperation between the two countries, including rice, horticulture, and durian.