Indonesia-China Alumni Bridge for Human Resource Strengthening

Strengthening human resource development is a key focus of cooperation between Indonesia and China. This commitment was reaffirmed at the Alumni Gathering of the Indonesia-China Technical Cooperation Program Silk Road Night Market Reunion held at the Krida Bhakti Building, Ministry of State Secretariat, Jakarta, on Thursday evening (11/6). China’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Wang Lutong, emphasised that the capacity-building programmes run by the Chinese government have become a crucial foundation of the bilateral relationship for more than two decades. The capacity-building programme, which began over twenty years ago, has involved more than 4,000 Indonesian civil servants from various fields, ranging from public administration, industrial development, technological innovation, and disaster management to public welfare. ‘For more than two decades, more than 4,000 Indonesian government employees have participated in this programme across various fields. This is not a one-way relationship. We also learn a lot from Indonesia. This programme is a learning process for both parties,’ said Ambassador Wang. He stated that both Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Prabowo Subianto place great attention on human resource capacity development. He noted that community empowerment, knowledge exchange, and people-to-people connectivity are becoming new energy for the strategic partnership between the two countries. Amidst ever-changing global geopolitical and economic dynamics, Wang believes Indonesia and China hold important positions as strategic partners in the region and among Global South nations. ‘We will continue to work with Indonesia to uphold international justice and multilateralism, and to promote regional and world peace and prosperity. Most importantly, all this cooperation must provide tangible benefits to the people of Indonesia and China,’ he said. Wang also assessed that alumni of the training programmes are valuable assets in strengthening bilateral relations. He expressed hope that the alumni network will continue to grow and contribute to the development of both countries. On the same occasion, Expert Staff to the Minister of State Secretariat, Sari Harjanti, conveyed the Indonesian government’s appreciation for China’s contribution in supporting the capacity development of state apparatus through various education and training programmes. Representing Minister of State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi, Sari stated that decades of cooperation between Indonesia and China have yielded concrete achievements in trade, investment, infrastructure, energy, education, and human resource development. According to Sari, the enthusiasm of Indonesian government officials to participate in international capacity-building programmes continues to increase year on year. The opportunities now include not only short-term training but also master’s degree education programmes. The number of international programme participants has increased significantly in recent years. Sari noted that for the 2024-2026 period, the Chinese government is providing at least 173 training programmes for Indonesian government officials. These programmes consist of degree and non-degree programmes tailored to Indonesia’s national development priorities. ‘Indonesia-China technical cooperation goes far beyond just training. It is a long-term investment in human resource development through capacity building, knowledge transfer, and expanding international networks,’ Sari stated. She added that alumni also act as connectors who strengthen people-to-people relations between Indonesia and China through the experiences, knowledge, and networks they build. The Indonesian government hopes the alumni community will continue to grow into a dynamic platform for sharing best practices and strengthening cross-sector collaboration.