Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Vice President Boediono has lunch with visiting Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao at Grand Sahid Hotel here on Saturday.

The luncheon was preceded with a bilateral meeting and business dialog between Indonesia and China.

Also present at the luncheon were former President Megawati Soekarnoputri, House Speaker Marzuki Alie, Regional Representatives Council (DPD) Speaker Irman Gusman, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, Industry Minister MS Hidayat, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa, and businessmen from the two countries.

On the occasion Vice President Boediono expressed joy to have dinner with the Chinese prime minister who was on a three-day visit to Indonesia.

In his opening address, Boediono said it was a great joy for him to have dinner with the Chinese prime minister after their encounter in October last year, and with the businessmen from the two countries.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao also said he was glad to have dinner with the Indonesian vice president.

"This luncheon makes me feel the friendship between the people of Indonesia and China," Wen Jiabao said.

Earlier on Friday, the Chinese prime minister also met with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at Merdeka Palace where the two leaders agreed to initiate periodic meetings.

"Both sides agreed to hold periodic meetings to discuss strategic issues at the deputy prime ministerial level. We will make use of the mechanism to increase coordination, foster common interest and plan economic cooperation," Wen Jiabao said at the meeting with President Yudhoyono.

At the Indonesian head of state said his meeting with the Chinese prime minister proceeded constructively and full of friendship to increase mutually beneficial cooperation between the two nations.

"Today, we held a bilateral meeting which proceeded in a good and productive manner and produced a number of commitments to increase cooperation in the days ahead. We discussed a lot of issues," the Indonesian president said. (*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011