China’s Xi urges deeper security, defense cooperation with Indonesia

ISTANBUL / KARACHI, Pakistan

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for "deeper" defense and security cooperation with Indonesia, urging the two sides to make good use of the dialogue mechanism between their foreign and defense ministers, Beijing's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Xi made the remarks during a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto, the same day Beijing put on a large military parade, state-run Xinhua News reported.

Prabowo, on Tuesday, evening flew from Indonesia to attend commemorations in Beijing of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Last Saturday, Prabowo cancelled his scheduled trip to China due to the protests across Indonesia. He was unable to attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit held in Tianjin.

The protests continued on Wednesday with Indonesian women taking to the streets with brooms, symbolizing "sweeping clean" the violence by authorities and waste in public funds, according to the local magazine Tempo.

Xi further said that Beijing and Jakarta should work together for high-quality cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative, expand two-way opening up, and enhance cooperation in critical minerals, the digital economy, artificial intelligence, agriculture, and fisheries.

As major countries of the Global South, China and Indonesia should jointly oppose "unilateral bullying, and safeguard regional peace and stability and international fairness and justice," he added.

Prabowo, in return, said that Indonesia looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China in trade, investment, finance, infrastructure and other fields to achieve more outcomes in bilateral relations, deliver greater benefits to both peoples, and contribute positively to regional peace and stability.

He also shared information on the situation in Indonesia, mentioning a trend of "stabilization."

This year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Indonesia.

Prabowo is set to fly back home later Wednesday amid heightened security following a week of violent protests over lawmakers’ perks, which escalated following the killing of a motorcycle taxi driver by an armored police vehicle.

The driver’s death triggered widespread rioting, looting, and attacks on public infrastructure.

At least 10 people were killed in the unrest, which saw angry crowds torching government buildings in Jakarta and other major cities, the National Commission on Human Rights said Tuesday.