High-level friendly exchanges between China and Indonesia are frequent. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese leaders have spoken over phone with Indonesian President Joko Widodo six times.

Indonesia is the largest economy in ASEAN. China and Indonesia have close economic and trade cooperation. China has been Indonesia's largest trading partner for nine consecutive years, with bilateral trade exceeding US$120 billion in 2021, a year-on-year increase of nearly 60%. China has become Indonesia's second largest source of investment.

From January to October this year, the trade volume between the two countries increased by 26% year-on-year, of which China's exports to Indonesia increased by 23.5% year-on-year, and China's imports from Indonesia increased by 28.4% year-on-year. From January to September this year, non-financial direct investment by Chinese enterprises in countries along the Belt and Road increased by 7.4% year-on-year, ranking second among the main investment countries Indonesia.

At the end of July this year, Indonesian President Joko Widodo visited China, becoming the first foreign head of state received by the Chinese side after the Beijing Winter Olympics. The two heads of state agreed to jointly build a China-Indonesia community of shared future, and create a model of mutual benefit and win-win results for major developing countries, a model of common development, and a pioneer of South-South cooperation. The two heads of state affirmed the significant progress made in bilateral trade cooperation in recent years and stressed their commitment to enhancing the scale of bilateral trade.

The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, which is under construction and a landmark project of the Belt and Road Initiative and practical cooperation between China and Indonesia, connects Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, with Bandung, the capital of West Java, with a total length of 142 kilometers and a maximum design speed of 350 kilometers per hour. Indonesian President Joko Widodo said when inspecting the construction site in October that the overall progress of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway proceeds smoothly, reflecting the good cooperation between Indonesia and China.

Xu Ningning, Executive President of the China-ASEAN Business Council and Chairman of the RCEP Industry Cooperation Committee, recently said that Indonesia's economy is expected to grow by 5.1% this year. Indonesia's manufacturing PMI rose to an eight-month high in September from 51.7 in August, reflecting the expansion of Indonesia's manufacturing sector for 13 consecutive months.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo said that despite the global economic turmoil, Indonesia's economic fundamentals remain strong, with inflation at 4.9% and economic growth reaching 5.4% in the second quarter of this year.

Indonesia is expected to ratify the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) within this year. Indonesia hopes that RCEP will bring more investment to downstream industries, especially in commodity processing.

Indonesia holds the rotating presidency of this year's G20 Leaders' Summit, which will be held November 15-16 in Bali, Indonesia, under the theme Recover Together, Recover Stronger.

In 2023, China and Indonesia will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership. At a time when the world is changing and complex, China and Indonesia have clearly defined the general direction of building a community of share future, providing valuable oriental wisdom and Asian strength not only for the region but also for the world to cope with challenges.

Xu Ningning suggested that Chinese enterprises should do a feasibility study when entering Indonesia, find good partners, take a long-term view to ensure product quality, engineering quality and service quality and accommodate the comfort level of local people.

Xu Ningning said that the China-ASEAN Business Council and RCEP Industry Cooperation Committee are helping China and Indonesia to enhance cooperation between related industries and their key enterprises.

History of friendship

In 2008, Xu Ningning, Executive President of the China-ASEAN Business Council, met with the then Indonesian Ambassador to China and exchanged views on institutional cooperation between the two sides and the development of economic and trade cooperation between China and Indonesia.

In 2010, Xu Ningning met with the then Indonesian ambassador to China.

In 2013, the then Indonesian Ambassador to China visited the China-ASEAN Business Council and had in-depth exchanges with Xu Ningning on strengthening China-Indonesia cooperation in trade, investment and other fields.

In 2013, the then Trade Counselor of the Embassy of Republic of Indonesia in Beijing visited the China-ASEAN Business Council and met Xu Ningning.

In 2014, the then Indonesian ambassador to China visited the China-ASEAN Business Council and met Xu Ningning.

In 2015, the then Minister of the Embassy of Republic of Indonesia in Beijing visited the China-ASEAN Business Council and met Xu Ningning.

In 2015, Xu Ningning met with the then Minister Counsellor of the  Embassy of Republic of Indonesia in Beijing.

In 2015, the then Indonesian ambassador to China hosted a banquet for Xu Ningning to conduct friendly exchanges on promoting China-Indonesia economic and trade cooperation and enhancing cooperation between the two institutions, accompanied by Minister Counsellor and Commercial Counsellor.

In 2015, the then Commercial Counselor of the Embassy of Republic of Indonesia in Beijing visited the China-ASEAN Business Council and met Xu Ningning.

In 2015, the then Indonesian Ambassador to China met Xu Ningning and discussed the specific matters of jointly promoting investment cooperation between Chinese and Indonesian enterprises.

In 2015, the then Minister Counsellor and Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of Republic of Indonesia in Beijing visited the China-ASEAN Business Council and met Xu Ningning. 

In Shanghai in 2015, Xu Ningning was invited to attend the celebration of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Indonesia and the 70th anniversary of Indonesia's independence, and took a group photo with the then Indonesian Ambassador to China and the President of the China-Indonesia Chamber of Commerce.

In Jakarta 2016, the China-ASEAN Business Council and the Indonesian Chinese Entrepreneur Association hosted the 2nd China-Indonesia Forum on the Maritime Silk Road. Xu Ningning talked with the former Indonesian ambassador to China.

In 2016, the then Minister of the Embassy of Republic of Indonesia in Beijing visited the China-ASEAN Business Council and met with Xu Ningning met.

In Beijing 2017, Xu Ningning met with the then Indonesian ambassador to China.

In Beijing 2018, Xu Ningning met with Indonesian Ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun to discuss the new development of economic and trade cooperation between China and Indonesia.

In Beijing 2019, Xu Ningning had talks with the Commercial Counselor of the Embassy of Republic of Indonesia in Beijing.

In 2020, at the opening ceremony of the 17th China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, Xu Ningning and Indonesian Ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun.