Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia has generated nine memoranda of understanding (MoUs) for cooperation with the private health sector in China on the sidelines of Indonesian President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi's) working visit to the country.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi in a video press statement regarding the results of President Jokowi's working visit to China on Thursday said that Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has held meetings with over 30 Chinese health business people.

"Minister Sadikin's meeting resulted in nine MoUs for the private sector, including those related to technology transfer for vaccine production, including halal vaccines," Minister Marsudi revealed.

She noted that the other MoUs produced also included cooperation in the production of diagnostic tools and management of health information systems.

She stated that Minister Sadikin's meeting with Chinese health sector businesses was also aimed at facilitating matchmaking between businesses in the Indonesia-China Health Care and Bio-Tech Investment Forum.

Moreover, she stated that the Indonesian government had also signed an action plan for implementing the MoU on health cooperation with China.

"This is a follow-up to the MoU that was signed last year," she remarked.

Meanwhile, at a bilateral meeting between President Jokowi and President Xi Jinping, the two leaders pushed to strengthen cooperation on genomic vaccines and biotechnology to deal with the possibility of a new pandemic in future.

"Including through the development of a national gene bank and biotechnology center in Indonesia," Minister Marsudi remarked.

President Jokowi paid a working visit to Chengdu, China, on July 27-28, to fulfill President Jinping's invitation, in line with the 10 years of Indonesia-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

Accompanying President Jokowi on this working visit were Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Minister of Investment and Head of the Investment Coordinating Board Bahlil Lahadalia, Head of the New Capital City (IKN) Nusantara Authority Bambang Susantono, and Indonesian Ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun.

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Translator: Gilang Galiartha, Resinta S
Editor: Sri Haryati
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