Indonesia, China sign MOU to improve relations

Indonesia, China sign MOU to improve relations

BEIJING (JP): Indonesia and China signed here on Monday a
Memorandum of Understanding to enhance bilateral cooperation
between the two countries in the fields of politics, economics,
science and technology, and tourism.

The document was signed by Indonesian Foreign Minister Alwi
Shihab and his Chinese counterpart Tang Jiaxuan at the Chinese
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The two ministers also agreed to establish a joint commission
to set up a mechanism to address problems which may emerge in the
future.

The signing of the documents, which marked the 50th
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between
China and Indonesia, was a follow-up of President Abdurrahman
Wahid's visit to China last year.

It was President Abdurrahman himself who suggested
establishment of the joint commission, Chinese Vice Foreign
Minister Yang Wenchang said.

China was the first country to be given the recognition of
receiving Abdurrahman on an official state visit despite the fact
that he had traveled to Japan and the United States just weeks
earlier.

Yang told a delegation of Indonesian journalists prior to the
ceremony that the bilateral cooperation between China and
Indonesia has been moving in the right direction since the
restoration of political ties between the two countries in 1990.

"So far, there is no significant problem hampering our
cooperation," he said.

Indonesian froze diplomatic relations with China shortly after
the failed 1965 coup by the Indonesian Communist Party.

The government at the time accused China of supporting the
movement, an allegation which has always been denied by Beijing.

"We don't interfere in any country's internal affairs. That's
your internal policy," Yang said, adding that the matter was
cleared by the white paper issued by the Indonesian government in
1994.

He said that the riots that hit Jakarta and several other
cities in 1998, resulting in the flight of many ethnic Chinese
from Indonesia, have not affected the good relations between the
two countries.

He said that the Chinese government did not treat Chinese
overseas as Chinese citizens, and called upon them to follow the
regulations their respective countries of residence.

"But we also hope that they are treated as other (indigenous)
ethnic groups so that they can exercise their rights and their
interest like other citizens," he remarked.(sim)