Transmigration Minister Meets Indonesian Students in China, Urges Top Talent to Help Develop Transmigration Areas

Transmigration Minister Muhammad Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara held talks with several Indonesian students in China. Iftitah said he wanted to encourage highly skilled human resources to help advance transmigration areas.

The dialogue took place in Beijing on Tuesday (13 October 2026). The students who attended began by introducing themselves and the universities where they were studying.

“I’m Victor, originally from Medan, Indonesia, and I’m studying at the Beijing Institute of Technology. BIT, but the ‘knock-off’ version, sir. I’m majoring in artificial intelligence. I’m doing my bachelor’s degree and am now in my final year, my fourth year,” said Victor Hugo Yapadli.

“What interests you about artificial intelligence?” Minister Iftitah asked.

Victor explained that his studies focused on pure coding.

“I do pure coding, making things. There’s a lot, sir: machine learning, deep learning and many other branches. But my focus is more on NLP, like ChatGPT, sir.”

“What is China’s version of ChatGPT?” the minister asked.

“DeepSeek, sir. Doubao, DeepSeek—there are lots,” Victor replied.

Another student, Siti Nurkhairani, said she was pursuing a master’s degree in international trade at Beijing Wuzi University. She noted that Iftitah had previously visited her hometown in East Lombok.

“I’m now in my first year of a master’s degree at Beijing Wuzi University. I also did my bachelor’s degree in China, at the same university. The scholarship for my bachelor’s degree was provided by the West Nusa Tenggara provincial government, while my current scholarship is provided by the Chinese government,” she said.

Another student was Owain Cato Daniwan, who studies at the Beijing Institute of Technology. Owain is chairman of the Indonesian Students Association in Beijing.

“I’m Owain from Jakarta. I’m in the fourth year of my bachelor’s degree, also majoring in artificial intelligence at the same university as Victor, the Beijing Institute of Technology—BIT, the ‘knock-off’ one, sir. I’ve currently been entrusted with the role of chairman of the Indonesian Students Association in Beijing,” Owain said.

“So, you’re the student council president?” Minister Iftitah asked.

“Yes, the student council president, sir,” he replied.

Iftitah said there would be many career opportunities in Indonesia once the students completed their studies in China. He said he wanted highly skilled people to help develop transmigration areas.

“From what I can see, the opportunities in Indonesia are extraordinary—immense. As Minister of Transmigration, I’m promoting the presence of highly skilled human resources in transmigration areas. The aim is to open them up to knowledge and technology,” Iftitah said.

Iftitah acknowledged that rapid technological development could help people in transmigration areas develop their regions. He said young people were also needed in villages.

“If young people go to villages and upload information on how to farm—for example, the best way to grow agricultural crops such as chillies—that would also be valuable knowledge,” Iftitah said.

Iftitah said Indonesian university students were also involved in the Trans Patriot programme run by the Ministry of Transmigration. He said it was an effort to bring highly skilled people to transmigration areas.

“They also support the Transmigration Patriot programme, which is also being carried out in China: professors are sent to villages together with their students to help communities in remote and disadvantaged areas. They support the programme continuing, being developed and carried on,” Iftitah said in remarks after meeting the students.

Iftitah said the students wanted to return to Indonesia after completing their studies and contribute to the country’s development.

“They genuinely want to make the best contribution to the Indonesian nation. They therefore offered suggestions: if Chinese companies invest in transmigration areas in the future, they would also like to be involved. They speak Mandarin and understand Chinese culture, while also being Indonesians who know the Indonesian language,” he said.