"What is done now is an investment for tomorrow," he said at a meeting with Indonesia and Chinese youths here on Saturday (March 24).
The Indonesian youths who came to Beijing included central and regional executives of the National Committee of Indonesian Youth (KNPI) and a number of Student Executive Body members from several universities.
Yudhoyono said Indonesian and Chinese youths are assets of their two countries.
He added that Indonesia and China would change in the next twenty to thirty years when today`s youths take over their nations` leadership.
He noted that relations between the two countries must not exist only through cooperation between governments, but also between their youths, as well as in the field of education.
"This is an extraordinary capital for strategic relations between the two countries," he said.
China and Indonesia have developed cooperation in the field of education, marked by some Indonesian students currently pursuing their educations in China.
"I would like to invite Chinese students to also study in Indonesia, especially in the fields of culture and language," he said.
Also, President Yudhoyono denied accusations that the government was behind the arrival of the Indonesian youths in China.
He said the Indonesian youths came after being invited by China`s All Chinese Youth Federation.
The deputy minister of youth empowerment of the ministry of youth and sports, Alfitra Salamm, confirmed the President`s statement, saying that sending of some Indonesian youths and students to China did not burden the nation's budget.
He said with regard to members of Students Executive Bodies (VEM), that only 15 BEM members joined the delegation to China, while others had chosen not to join it.
Some 80 Indonesian youths and students are to be in China for nine days. They are to visit several locations, including sports schools.
Alfitra said the Indonesian and Chinese youths had also signed a number of memorandums of understanding.
(T.F008/Uu.H-YH/INE)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
