Probosutedjo in China

Probosutedjo in China

BEIJING (AFP): The half brother of Indonesian President Soeharto met yesterday with Chinese Vice Premier Wu Bangguo to discuss the financial crisis which has wracked the Southeast Asian region, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Probosutedjo, described as "a well-known banker and entrepreneur in Indonesia", said he was "impressed" by China's economic growth and stability in the face of the Asian financial storm.

His visit was made amid increasing unrest in Indonesia and resentment against the Chinese minority in the country gripped by the economic crisis.

Indonesia's Chinese community which represents five million of Indonesia's 200 million population, control a large part of the country's commerce and economy.

Wu said China's commitment not to devalue its local currency, the yuan, "supports other Southeast Asian economies."

He said China was sympathetic to Indonesia's fiscal difficulties, adding Beijing has offered assistance within its capacity to Indonesia under a 40-billion dollar bailout deal put together by the International Monetary Fund.