RI, China to boost cooperation
RI, China to boost cooperation
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is slated to meet Chinese
President Hu Jintao on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Santiago, Chile, later this month to
discuss mutual cooperation in various fields, especially
military.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Friday
that Chinese State Councilor Tan Jiaxuan conveyed President Hu's
request for bilateral talks during his meeting with Susilo.
"There are various strategic issues that we can discuss in the
planned meeting in Chile, including cooperation in the military
industry," Hassan said, after accompanying Susilo in the meeting.
Tan is the most senior Chinese official that has met Susilo
since the latter took office on Oct. 20.
Hassan said military cooperation between the two countries had
been discussed while Susilo was the coordinating minister for
political and security affairs in the previous government. As a
minister, Susilo visited China early this year.
"The Chinese government has agreed to support Indonesia in
renewing its military equipment and to build a military industry
here," Hassan said.
Susilo is also expected to meet Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji on
the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations
(ASEAN) Summit in Vientienne before the APEC meeting.
Indonesia, under former president Megawati Soekarnoputri,
desperately sought other sources of military equipment as a
result of an embargo imposed by the United States following the
1999 atrocities in East Timor that implicated the Indonesian
Military (TNI). No TNI officers brought to trial for the mayhem
were found guilty either by the ad hoc human rights tribunal or
the higher court.
The shooting incident at employees of the American-based
mining company in Papua in August 2002 had provided more reason
for the U.S. to maintain the embargo. The U.S. has been involved
in the investigation of the case.
During Megawati's tenure, Indonesia bought military equipment
from Russia and other Eastern European countries.
Hassan said that Indonesia needed to renew its military
equipment and China, which has grown as a major arms supplier,
could fulfill Indonesia's demand.
Aside from military cooperation, China also intends to
increase mutual cooperation with Indonesia in other fields, such
as energy, fisheries and agriculture.
"The Chinese special envoy also confirmed the attendance of
Chinese President Hu in the Asia-Africa Summit in April 2005 in
Bandung, and invited President Susilo to visit China early next
year," Hassan said.
Indonesia severed its diplomatic ties with the communist state
following an abortive coup attempt blamed on the Indonesian
Communist Party in 1965. The relation was restored in 1990.