The delegation, consisting of 20 journalists from China Daily Multimedia, People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency, and Economic Daily, was led by Li Jun, the deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily Multimedia.
Their visit marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership and the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative proposal.
Media Cooperation
The media tour started with a visit to the ANTARA News Agency office in Jakarta for the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on media cooperation. The MoU was signed by the President Director of ANTARA, Akhmad Munir, and the Deputy Chief Editor of China Daily Multimedia, Li Jun.
Munir stated that ANTARA, as the only news agency owned by the Indonesian government, could collaborate with China Daily to encourage mutually beneficial cooperation between the Chinese and Indonesian governments.
Meanwhile, Jun remarked that ANTARA and China Daily have had a long-standing collaboration.
"The signing of this MoU will undoubtedly strengthen cooperation between ANTARA and China Daily, uniting direction and thoughts between China and Indonesia, in addition to fostering a better understanding of the cultures of the two countries," she affirmed. Cultural Exchange
On the second day in Indonesia, the delegation visited Bandung, West Java, using the Jakarta-Bandung Fast Train, also known as Whoosh, which had just been officially inaugurated in Indonesia. Upon arrival at Halim Station in Jakarta, they were greeted by Zhang Chao, the Finance Director of PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (PT KCIC).
After a 45-minute journey, they arrived at Tegalluar Station and proceeded to the Asian-African Conference (KAA) Museum in Bandung.
The KAA Museum is a collection of memorabilia from the Asian-African Conference in 1955, commemorating the events that served as a source of inspiration and motivation for the Asian-African people.
The delegation also visited the Gray Art Gallery on Jalan Braga, not far from the museum. There, they were presented with various works of art, including pieces by Jeihan Sukmantoro, a well-known Indonesian painter.
In addition to enjoying these visual works of art, the delegation experienced immersive videos showcasing people's faces on a large screen and participated in fun activities, such as stamp-based writing.
Following the tour, the delegation engaged in discussions on cultural exchange between the two nations. During the session, two students from China, Ye Zhenzhen and Li Tianchang, who were studying Indonesian at Padjadjaran University (UNPAD) Bandung and had participated in a 10-month study program in Indonesia, shared their experiences.
"It is important to learn a language to facilitate communication between two countries," Zhenzhen emphasized, adding that around 72 Chinese students were currently studying Indonesian culture and literature at UNPAD.
She also mentioned her involvement in promoting Indonesian culture in China to attract more students interested in learning Indonesian.
Apart from studying Indonesian society's traditions, she visited mosques and praised the friendliness and harmony among people of various religions in Indonesia.
"Indonesian people are friendly and smiling. Apart from that, there are several religions in Indonesia, and they can live together in harmony and peace. I also studied that," she remarked.
After exploring Jakarta, Zhenzhen planned to visit Surabaya, Yogyakarta, and Bali with her friends.
Meanwhile, Tianchang shared his experiences in Indonesia, noting the vast number of islands and the richness of Indonesian culture.
"Our responsibility is not only to study but also spread this culture the worldwide," he stressed.
Tianchang pointed out several similarities between Chinese and Indonesian cultures, such as shadow puppetry and masks. During the meeting, he presented a traditional opera from Shaanxi Province, China, called Qinqiang.
After the meeting concluded, the group returned to Jakarta aboard Whoosh.
Friendly Indonesians
On their last day in Jakarta, the delegation visited the Jakarta History Museum in Kota Tua, West Jakarta, and the head office of PT Vivo Mobile Indonesia in Pantai Indah Kapuk, North Jakarta.
The Sejarah Jakarta Museum is one of the most popular museums in Jakarta and an icon in the Kota Tua area. The museum features Neoclassical-style architecture resembling the Dam Palace in Amsterdam.
"This is my first time visiting this museum," he remarked.
The journey continued to Indah Kapuk Beach. At PT Vivo Mobile Indonesia, the delegation had a close-up look at the Vivo cellphone collection and received updates about Vivo during a discussion.
Concluding the media tour in Indonesia, journalist Yan An shared her impressions of the visit. Yan An mentioned that their trip to Indonesia included experiencing the Jakarta-Bandung Fast Train and visiting some Chinese companies.
She noted the high enthusiasm of Indonesian people, especially youngsters.
"I met a group of elementary school students at the museum, and they were great. They smiled at us, and I was very happy," she remarked.
Yan An expressed her eagerness to make friends with local people and hoped to learn more about Indonesian culture.
"Because when I was a student, I worked on many projects about cultural heritage, so I also paid attention to that. You know, the Indonesian government really focuses on promoting local cultural heritage. Many students visit the museum. I think it is very good," she remarked.
Yan An admitted she would like to return to Indonesia, as she finds Indonesians quite friendly, and the country has a rich cultural heritage. She also expressed hope that cooperation between Indonesia and China would strengthen, and more Indonesians would visit China.
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Editor: Anton Santoso
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