Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Xiao Qian has stated that the Indonesian and Chinese governments have agreed to enhance bilateral comprehensive partnership cooperation.

"Thank you for the efforts of both parties, especially the strong leadership of President Xi Jinping and President Joko Widodo. The bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership has been enjoying strong and stable development," Qian noted at a seminar on the Five-Years of Indonesia-China Strategic and Comprehensive Cooperation held here on Tuesday.

According to him, the cooperation has been rapidly growing, indicated, among others, by the frequent bilateral meetings between the two heads of state.

Qian remarked that Jinping had visited Indonesia twice, while Jokowi had visited China five times.

He also stated that the leaders of the two countries had consolidated political consensus of China`s Road and Belt Initiative, and Indonesia`s vision of becoming the World`s Maritime Axis.

In May 2018, officials of both countries officially began cooperation to build Regional Comprehensive Economic Corridor, covering North Sumatra, North Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, and Bali. This cooperation was initiated by Jokowi.

The completion of negotiations on trade agreements, through the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), is considered crucial in the midst of a heated trade war between the United States and China.

"The United States` policy of raising import duties has triggered a heightened trade relationship with China," Indonesian Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita explained on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN Summit at Suntec Convention Center, Singapore, on Tuesday (Nov 13).

The Minister of Trade revealed that the boosting of trade relations between the two powers had no positive impact on ASEAN countries.

Lukita argued that trade war did not benefit any side.

Reporting by Muhammad Razi Rahman, Libertina W Ambari
Editing by Suharto

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