Chinese Premier Li Qiang paid an official visit to Indonesia from May 24 to 26 at the invitation of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. Following this, Li attended the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-GCC (the Gulf Cooperation Council)-China Summit in Kuala Lumpur from May 26 to 28 at the invitation of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia, ASEAN’s rotating chair.
Announcing the visits at a May 22 Beijing press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that last year, the heads of state of China and Indonesia reached important consensus on building a China-Indonesia community with a shared future with regional and global influence, elevating bilateral relations to a new level. She said China hopes to carry forward the traditional friendship with Indonesia, deepen solidarity and cooperation, continuously consolidate cooperation in the “five pillars” of politics, economy, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, maritime affairs and security, adding that it is hoped that the two countries, along their respective modernisation paths, will constantly enrich the connotation of the China-Indonesia community with a shared future, and make greater contributions to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region and beyond.
On May 25, the Xinhua News Agency reported that during Premier Li’s visit, the two countries highlighted the contemporary value of the Bandung Spirit and pledged for closer bilateral cooperation as well as better strategic coordination. “China stands ready to work with Indonesia and other developing countries to jointly uphold the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the Bandung Spirit,” Li said in talks with President Prabowo Subianto.
Xinhua noted: “In April 1955, a landmark conference in Indonesia’s city of Bandung gathered 29 Asian and African nations under the flag of solidarity, friendship and cooperation, marking the awakening of the part of the world known now as the Global South.”
Li added that today unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, and acts of bullying are increasing, stressing that against this backdrop, the contemporary value of the Bandung Spirit has become more prominent.
He said that China stands ready to work with Indonesia and other developing countries to jointly uphold the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the Bandung Spirit, and implement the three major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping.
He called for steadfastly upholding multilateralism and free trade, promoting an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation, resolutely safeguarding common interests, and jointly advancing peace, stability and development in the region and the world at large.
Noting that 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference, President Prabowo said that Indonesia will take this opportunity to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership with China and jointly promote peace and development in Asia and the world.
He said Indonesia is ready to expand cooperation with China in agriculture, finance, infrastructure, green economy, AI and education, and upgrade industrial collaboration. Prabowo also expressed the hope that more Chinese enterprises will invest and do business in Indonesia.
Analysing this meeting, the South China Morning Post reported:
“Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has lauded China’s long-standing support for anti-colonial struggles and developing nations, calling Beijing a key partner in the pursuit of a ‘safe and prosperous region’ as Jakarta moves to deepen strategic and economic ties with the Asian superpower.
“While hosting Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Jakarta on Saturday, Prabowo praised China’s record of standing up to imperialism and its backing of Palestinian statehood – an issue that resonates deeply in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country.
“‘I would like to express my respect to China, which has consistently defended the interests of developing countries … fighting oppression, imperialism, colonialism and apartheid,’ Prabowo said. ‘China defends the liberation struggles in countries that are still oppressed by imperialism and colonialism.’
“China had supported liberation movements even during its own nation-building phase and continued to do so today, he said, citing Beijing’s ‘leadership, especially in defending the Palestinian people’ as ‘a source of pride for all of us’.”
The Hong Kong English language daily continued: “Ple Priatna, a former Indonesian diplomat who served in multiple postings including Beijing, described Prabowo’s framing of China’s anti-imperialist credentials as ‘factual’.
“‘China is a developing country that dares to take a stand on the Gaza and Palestine issues. Beijing’s anti-colonialism stance will make it not only get closer to Indonesia but also to countries in Africa,’ Ple told This Week in Asia on Monday.
“He pointed to the Hamas-Fatah meeting in Beijing in July last year, where the two factions agreed to form a government together in light of Israel’s war in Gaza.”
It also reported that: “On Saturday, Anindya Bakrie, head of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce, signed an MoU with the China Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia to work together to support Prabowo’s flagship free nutritious meals programme, which aims to feed more than 89 million schoolchildren, toddlers, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.
“The two sides would build up to 1,000 jointly operated kitchens, with a prototype set for completion before August 17, or Indonesia’s Independence Day, Anindya said.
“The China-built kitchens would focus on supplying meals for children in regions where ‘there is a lot of Chinese investments’.”
Commenting on Prabowo’s praise for China’s anti-imperialist standpoints, Friends of Socialist China co-editor Carlos Martinez, noted: “Such words – coming from someone who was a general under [former President] Suharto, whose ideological foundations are vehemently anti-communist, and who received military training in the US – speak loudly to the success of China’s foreign policy; its insistence on non-interference, peaceful coexistence and mutually-beneficial cooperation, and its pursuit of multipolarity and the rise of the Global South.
“If a country like Indonesia wants to develop, to modernise, and to assert its sovereignty, it cannot but appreciate China’s positioning in global affairs.”
Li also held talks with talks with Speaker of Indonesia’s House of Representatives Puan Maharani.
He said that, facing the current volatile international situation, the two countries should unite and cooperate more closely, which is not only a practical need for promoting their respective causes of modernisation, but also conducive to promoting peace and development in the region and the world at large.
He further urged the two sides to ensure the implementation of landmark and important projects such as the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, facilitate two-way trade and investment, and jointly create a fair and favourable business environment. They should also expand cooperation in emerging fields such as the digital economy, green development and artificial intelligence, enabling higher-level mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. China and Indonesia should oppose unilateralism, protectionism and power politics, carry forward the Bandung Spirit of solidarity, friendship and cooperation, and inject stability and certainty into the cause of global peace and development.
For her part, Puan reaffirmed the firm commitment of Indonesia’s House of Representatives to the one-China principle, expressing the hope that the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference this year would serve as a key opportunity to build on past achievements and strive for new progress.
Indonesia appreciates China’s support for ASEAN’s centrality status and is willing to strengthen regional cooperation to promote peace and prosperity across the region. She also stressed Indonesia’s long-standing position of upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, advocating for the peaceful resolution of differences.
Indonesia stands ready to enhance communication and coordination with China on multilateral affairs, jointly address uncertainties in the international landscape, uphold the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organisation at its core, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries, she added.
Also, on the evening of May 24, Premier Li attended the Indonesia-China Business Reception 2025 together with President Prabowo Subianto and delivered remarks.
Li Qiang stated that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of China-Indonesia diplomatic relations and the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference. More than seven decades ago, the world stood at a historical crossroads. Against the backdrop of global discord and confrontation, China and Indonesia, together with other Asian and African nations, gathered in Bandung and forged the Bandung Spirit of solidarity, friendship and cooperation, which has played a pivotal role in advancing South-South cooperation and steering the world toward positive development. Today, more than seven decades later, the world is once again at a critical crossroads. Amid an evolving international situation intertwined with changes and chaos, unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, and acts of bullying are increasing. Against this backdrop, the contemporary value of the Bandung Spirit has become more prominent. Li Qiang called on both sides to follow the general trend of historical progress, adhere to seeking common ground while reserving differences and pursuing peaceful coexistence, resolve differences through consultation, promote win-win results through cooperation and achieve development and prosperity through joint contribution and shared benefits.
He emphasised that this year, China’s economy has achieved rapid growth amid increasing external challenges, demonstrating strong internal drivers and tremendous incremental potential. First, there is the incremental space from demand release. China is implementing a strategy to expand domestic demand and is launching specific initiatives to boost consumption, which will continuously unlock the potential of its mega-sized market. Second, there is the incremental space from technological empowerment. China continues to make breakthroughs in technological innovation, with artificial intelligence, robotics, biopharmaceutics and other sectors accelerating their integration across various industries, which will bring more innovation and investment cooperation opportunities for businesses worldwide. Third, there is the incremental space from industrial upgrading. China is vigorously advancing the high-end, intelligent and green transformation of its manufacturing sector while expanding overseas investment in an orderly manner and will enhance the efficiency and resilience of global industrial and supply chains in collaboration with other countries. China is ready to share incremental growth space and development opportunities with all countries, including Indonesia, and remains steadfast in opening up wider, creating a more favorable environment for foreign enterprises to invest and do business in China. He expressed the hope that the business communities of China and Indonesia will strengthen synergy, take active steps, make the pie of cooperation bigger, enhance industrial integration, uphold free trade, and promote more fruitful cooperation in various fields between the two countries.
Prabowo Subianto said that the relationship between Indonesia and China is one of the most strategic and promising bilateral relations in the 21st century. Indonesia is ready to strengthen cooperation with China in the fields of economy and trade, industry, green economy, as well as science and education, and enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges, so as to better achieve mutual benefits and win-win results. He added that Chinese enterprises are welcome to continue to invest and do business in Indonesia and broaden the scope of cooperation. Indonesia highly appreciates China’s important role in international affairs and stands ready to work with China to carry forward the Bandung Spirit, maintain peace, stability and prosperity in Asia, safeguard the common interests of developing countries, and uphold international fairness and justice.
One important practical outcome of the visit was that People’s Bank of China (PBOC) Governor Pan Gongsheng and Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo signed a memorandum of understanding on establishing a cooperation framework to promote bilateral transaction settlement in local currencies.
In written remarks that had been delivered on his arrival in Indonesia, Li Qiang had noted that China and Indonesia have set an example for major developing countries to pool efforts for solidarity, development and win-win cooperation. He recalled that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference. Over the past 70 years, the Bandung Spirit of solidarity, friendship and cooperation has provided guidance for the independent and self-reliant development of Asian and African countries, injected impetus into the unity and cooperation of the Global South countries and become an important norm of international relations.
At present, the world is undergoing accelerating changes unseen in a century, and all countries face many common challenges in their development, he said, stressing that as major developing countries and important members of the Global South, China and Indonesia should further carry forward the Bandung Spirit, strengthen solidarity and coordination, promote the practice of true multilateralism, and work together to address challenges, so as to boost and share prosperity.
The following articles were originally published by the Xinhua News Agency and on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Reported by Socialist China.
