Indonesia Calls for China's Support for ASEAN Centrality
Indonesia Calls for China’s Support for ASEAN Centrality
Reporter
September 23, 2026 | 06:15 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, Djamari Chaniago, expressed hope that China would continue to support the achievement of stability and peace in Southeast Asia, as well as the realization of ASEAN Centrality.
“Indonesia will continue to strengthen ASEAN Centrality and promote a regional architecture that is open, inclusive, transparent, and cooperation-oriented,” said Coordinating Minister Djamari in his remarks at the celebration of China’s 77th National Day in Jakarta on Tuesday evening, September 22, 2026.
“In this context, Indonesia hopes that the partnership with China can continue to make a positive contribution to creating a region that is peaceful, stable, inclusive, and prosperous,” he added.
He emphasized that Indonesia views its bilateral relationship with China as holding a crucial position in realizing peace and stability in the region.
This, he noted, cannot be built through exclusivity, but rather through dialogue, mutual trust, respect for international law, and the ability to manage differences peacefully.
Furthermore, the Coordinating Minister highlighted that Indonesia-China cooperation focuses not only on trade and investment but also encompasses political and security partnerships, maritime connectivity, people-to-people ties, and joint coordination in responding to increasingly complex global challenges.
He welcomed the successful holding of the China-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Dialogue in Jakarta on August 21, which was followed by a ministerial-level meeting in a ‘2+2’ format involving the foreign and defense ministers of both countries on the same day.
Djamari assessed that the dialogue reflected both nations’ awareness of the importance of maintaining strategic communication to enhance mutual trust—a foundation for strengthening bilateral cooperation.
“Trust between Indonesia and China is built through consistency, transparency, communication, and tangible cooperation,” he stated.
Meanwhile, China’s Chargé d’Affaires to Indonesia, Zhou Kan, reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to partnering with Jakarta to realize agreed-upon shared commitments and to expand concrete cooperation across various sectors. “We are also ready to elevate the China-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to an even higher level and work together to build a China-Indonesia community with a shared future,” he said.
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