Indonesia and China to expand cooperation on training and technology
The Indonesian and Chinese governments are committed to expanding cooperation in human resource development, technology transfer, and vocational education programmes, marking the 76th anniversary of bilateral relations.
This was stated by Sari Harjanti, Expert Staff to the Minister of State Secretary for Political Communication and Public Relations, during the ‘Alumni Gathering: Indonesia-China Technical Cooperation Programme’ held at the State Secretariat Office in Jakarta on Thursday.
Sari noted that the decades-long cooperation has provided numerous benefits for Indonesia, particularly in the sectors of infrastructure, agriculture, and transmigration. To date, more than 400 Indonesian alumni have participated in various programmes facilitated through this partnership.
The government plans to continue developing these programmes through various new breakthroughs. In addition to short-course programmes, future cooperation is expected to encompass formal degree-based education, vocational training, and South-South Cooperation initiatives.
Sari explained that the Ministry of State Secretariat, through the Bureau of Foreign Technical Cooperation (KTLN), serves as the gateway for various international cooperation programmes, which are then coordinated and distributed to relevant ministries and agencies in Indonesia.
She added that one of the priority sectors to be accelerated in cooperation with China is digitalisation and technology.
“The programmes we wish to adopt more rapidly are in the fields of digitalisation and technology. That is what we most want to achieve quickly,” she explained.
On the same occasion, the Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia, Wang Lutong, stated that this year’s alumni gathering is the first of its kind organised by the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia and will be held again next year.
“Trade and investment are not everything in the relationship between Indonesia and China. The people are always the foundation of bilateral relations, and they are the ones who should benefit from this cooperation,” said Wang Lutong.
He emphasised that the Chinese government is not only focused on training and capacity-building programmes but is also encouraging the implementation of concrete projects that provide direct benefits to the people of both nations.
As an example, China plans to establish vocational school centres in Papua, as well as rice centres that utilise Chinese agricultural technology to increase rice production in the region.
“We are considering several concrete programmes and projects designed to provide genuine benefits to both the Indonesian and Chinese people,” he added.