Your Excellency Mr. Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment Affairs,
Your Excellency Mr. Deng Xijun, Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN,
Friends from the diplomatic corps ,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good afternoon! Selamat sore!
Welcome to our special online reception celebrating the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. On behalf of Chinese Embassy in Indonesia and Chinese Mission to ASEAN, I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to all the distinguished guests for your presence!
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear friends,
At present, COVID-19 is still raging in the world, and profound changes are taking place in human society. Under the combined impact of changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. Against this complex background, China has made continuous progress in COVID-19 prevention and control, as well as economic and social development.
The Chinese government puts people and life above everything else, and has gained major strategic achievements in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. We are maintaining control measures on a regular basis and are ready to address localized emergencies. China has taken the lead in international cooperation against the virus and international vaccine cooperation. It has sent medical supplies, such as testing kits and ventilators, to more than 150 countries and 13 international organizations, and provided vaccine assistance to 106 countries and 4 international organizations. China will strive to provide a total of two billion doses of vaccines to the world by the end of this year, and donate 100 million US dollars to COVAX. With such practical actions, China has helped save thousands of lives around the world, and fulfilled its sincere commitment to advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
China's economy continues to recover, consolidate and improve steadily. Its GDP in the first half of this year increased by 12.7% year-on-year, among which the second quarter increased by 7.9% year-on-year. This year is the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period. At this new development stage, we are following a new development philosophy and fostering a new development paradigm. We are building a new system of open economy of higher standards, taking regulatory measures in accordance with laws and regulations, creating a more attractive business environment, and advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. We hope to work with Indonesia and regional countries to achieve higher-standard mutually beneficial cooperation. We will host the 4th China International Import Expo in November, and welcome companies from Indonesia and other ASEAN countries to actively participate in the event and share China's development opportunities.
China's development would not have been possible without the leadership of the Communist Party of China. Over the past century since its founding, the CPC has made seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation its aspiration and mission. It has led the Chinese people in realizing the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. This means that we have brought about a historic resolution to the problem of absolute poverty in China, and we are now marching in confident strides toward the second centenary goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. Here, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to friends from all walks of life in Indonesia and other ASEAN countries for sending congratulations on the centenary of the CPC. The Communist Party of China will continue to work with all peace-loving countries and peoples to promote the common values of humanity, namely peace, development, equity, justice, democracy, and freedom. We will remain committed to an independent foreign policy of peace, and to the path of peaceful development. We will work to build a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind, promote high-quality development of Belt and Road cooperation, and use China's new achievements in development to provide the world with new opportunities.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear friends,
Since the the pandemic began, following the strategic guidance of our presidents, China and Indonesia have helped each other to jointly overcome difficulties, focused on fighting the pandemic and seeking common development, and upgraded bilateral relations against all odds.
Political mutual trust between China and Indonesia has been taken to a new height. Since last year, President Xi Jinping and President Joko Widodo have talked over the phone for four times. Legislative bodies, political parties, and counterpart departments from our countries have maintained close exchanges. In June, the two sides held a successful inaugural meeting of the China-Indonesia High-level Dialogue Cooperation Mechanism, and agreed to build a China-Indonesia community with a shared future. The two sides expanded their cooperation into the maritime sector in addition to politics, economy, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and identified five key areas of cooperation in political security, pandemic prevention and public health, trade and investment, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and maritime cooperation, which drew a new blueprint for our bilateral relations and pragmatic cooperation in various fields.
China and Indonesia have written a new chapter in mutual assistance and friendship. After the pandemic began, the two governments were among the first to donate anti-pandemic supplies to each other. China has so far provided anti-pandemic supplies worth more than tens of millions of dollars to Indonesia. Several months ago when Indonesia suffered from a new wave of pandemic, China's central government, local governments, Red Cross Society, and enterprises have taken active actions to donate oxygen generators, ventilators, medicines, vaccines, etc to Indonesia. Vaccine cooperation has become a new highlight of our bilateral relations, featuring three characteristics. First, large supply. So far, Sinovac and Sinopharm have exported 215 million doses of vaccines to Indonesia, accounting for about 20% of China's export in the same time period, and over 80% of Indonesia's import. Second, comprehensive cooperation. Five Chinese companies are working with Indonesia on research and development, procurement, production, and technology transfer through four different technical routes. Third, beneficial to the region. China is actively supporting Indonesia to build a regional vaccine production center, which is believed to not only meet Indonesia's own vaccine demand, but also export vaccines to neighboring countries in the near future.
China and Indonesia have entered a new phase of mutually beneficial cooperation. Economic and trade cooperation has been growing despite the challenges caused by the pandemic. China remains Indonesia's largest trading partner and second largest source of investment. In the first half of this year, bilateral trade reached 53.57 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 50.7%. Indonesia's export to China were 26.28 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 52%, making the structure of bilateral trade more balanced. China's direct investment in Indonesia reached 111 million US dollars, increasing by 17.4% compared to the same period last year.
The two sides have further aligned their development strategies. Land acquisition for the landmark project Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway has already finished. Over 90% of its construction projects along the whole line has been completed. And 10 out of 13 tunnels have been holed-through. The railway is expected to be operational by the end of next year. Other projects such as Regional Comprehensive Economic Corridor and "Two Countries, Twin Parks" are moving forward smoothly. People-to-people and cultural exchanges remain resilient. Our militaries have carried out humanitarian relief cooperation.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear friends,
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between China and ASEAN. Over the past three decades, China and ASEAN countries together, including Indonesia, have made important contributions to regional peace and stability, and established the most successful example of Asia-Pacific cooperation. Over the past one and half years, China and ASEAN have become the most substantive cooperation partners and the most dynamic strategic partners through joint efforts.
China-ASEAN relations have been upgraded. The two sides join hands in fighting the pandemic, demonstrating the spirit of a community with a shared future. China has provided large quantities of anti-pandemic supplies and vaccines to ASEAN countries. In June, China and ASEAN held a successful face-to-face special foreign ministers' meeting in Chongqing, which built synergy and confidence to overcome difficulties with solidarity and cooperation. This year, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Indonesia and other six ASEAN countries, highlighting China's great emphasis on strengthening relations with ASEAN countries.
Economic and trade cooperation between China and ASEAN has been raised against the impact of COVID-19. In 2020, ASEAN surpassed the European Union to become China's largest trading partner for the first time, and China has been ASEAN's largest trading partner for 12 consecutive years. In the first half of this year, the total value of China-ASEAN trade was 410.75 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 38.2%. China's direct investment in ASEAN was 6.81 billion US dollars, and ASEAN's actual investment in China is 5.63 billion US dollars. China is active in synergizing the Belt and Road Initiative and ASEAN's development strategies. It is among the first to ratify the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement. China supports the implementation of ASEAN's Comprehensive Recovery Framework, and promotes further integration of industrial, supply and value chains in the region.
China is willing to working with ASEAN to focus on the next 30 years to jointly realize, maintain, and develop a road of regional cooperation with East Asian characteristics, build a higher level of China-ASEAN strategic partnership, and build a closer community with a shared future.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear friends,
I came to Indonesia as Chinese ambassador in December 2017, and will soon finish my duty next month. Over the past four years, I have had the honor to witness that, under the leadership of President Joko Widodo, Indonesia has achieved political stability, economic prosperity, social harmony, and has brought happiness to its people. I also witnessed that the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Indonesia has entered a phase of fast development. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude to friends from the Indonesian government and all walks of life for caring and supporting the development of China-Indonesia relations, and to friends who have offered support and assistance to me in performing my duties!
Despite complicated and volatile international and regional situation with increasing instability and uncertainty, the general direction of developing China-Indonesia relations will not change. China attaches great importance to the development of our bilateral relations and is willing to work together with Indonesia to continuously enrich China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership to the benefit of our two countries and two peoples. Now, please join me in wishing the prosperity of China and Indonesia-the two great countries, the new and greater development of China-Indonesia relations, the everlasting friendship between our two peoples, and the upgrading of China-ASEAN relations. I wish all guests safety, good health and great happiness!
Thank you!
