China hails bilateral ties with Indonesia

JAKARTA (JP): Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Prime Minister Zhu Rongji congratulated President Abdurrahman Wahid on Wednesday for long-standing bilateral diplomatic relations which have survived ups and downs.

A release from the Chinese Embassy made available to The Jakarta Post quoted Jiang as hailing the traditional friendship between the two countries which has lasted 50 years.

"Within the half century, the relations between our two countries have gone through both achievements and setbacks," Jiang said in his address on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the countries.

"To our pleasure, during the nearly 10-year period after the resumption of diplomatic relations, under the spirit of concluding the past and facing the future, the friendly relations between our two countries have been in remarkable progress."

Indonesia severed its diplomatic ties with China following the 1965 abortive coup blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party. Jakarta alleged Beijing for complicity in the coup attempt, which China denied.

The relationship was resumed in 1990, when then Chinese premier Li Peng visited Jakarta.

Jiang praised Abdurrahman's visit to China last year as a boost to the two nations' long-term and stable relationship of good neighborliness, mutual trust and all-round cooperation.

A similar letter was also addressed to foreign minister Alwi Shihab by his Chinese counterpart Tang Jiaxuan. (08)