Upgrading infrastructure to boost regional development, bilateral trade worth nearly $150 billion - China and Indonesia jointly paint a new picture of "global southern" cooperation (global hotspots)

In 2025, China and Indonesia will celebrate the important milestone of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, and both sides are deepening their comprehensive strategic partnership and building a community with a shared future.

China and Indonesia are both important representatives of countries in the global South. From infrastructure construction to sustainable development transformation, from economic and trade cooperation to cultural exchanges, the two countries have interpreted the innovative model of "South South cooperation" through multidimensional practice. Based on a series of pragmatic and effective projects, and linked by strategic mutual trust, China and Indonesia have set a vivid example for the "Global South" to explore a mutually beneficial and win-win development path.

Yawan high-speed railway connects people's hearts and minds

In the early morning, the Halim Station in Jakarta is crowded with people. The Jakarta Bandung high-speed railway departs from here, covering a total distance of 142.3 kilometers, passing through several important cities in Indonesia and finally arriving in Bandung city. This Southeast Asian first high-speed railway has reduced travel time between two cities from 3 hours to 40 minutes.



The Jakarta Bandung high-speed railway is not only a landmark project of cooperation between China and Indonesia, but also an example of infrastructure upgrading in southern countries around the world to support regional development. Industrial parks and grain processing bases have been built around Karawang Station along the high-speed railway line, relying on transportation advantages; Small and micro enterprises continue to gather along the Yawan high-speed railway, forming a high-speed rail economic belt... Since its opening in 2023, the Yawan high-speed railway has transported over 8 million passengers, with an average daily passenger flow of 21000, greatly activating the development of the economic belt along the line. In the first quarter of 2025, over 87000 non Indonesian passengers will travel on the Jakarta Bandung high-speed railway.

On the basis of regional efforts to develop solutions, Indonesia actively promotes partnerships with major international participants and strengthens its infrastructure network. A notable example is the Jakarta Bandung high-speed railway, which is part of Indonesia's larger infrastructure strategy in cooperation with China. In addition to strengthening connectivity, the project has also stimulated economic growth along the route, creating new opportunities for businesses and local communities, "said Agus Yudhoyono, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development of Indonesia.

The cooperation between China and Indonesia in infrastructure construction not only involves transportation infrastructure such as the Jakarta Bandung high-speed railway, the Sima Bridge, and the Bandung Expressway, but also aims to promote the construction of the "Regional Comprehensive Economic Corridor" and the "Two Countries, Two Parks" project (a production capacity cooperation model in which two sovereign countries set up parks in each other's territory and develop together), allowing infrastructure to drive cooperation in high-tech and emerging industries. In March 2025, Batang Industrial Park, an important part of the "Two Countries, Two Parks" initiative, will be upgraded to an Indonesian Special Economic Zone. Indonesian President Prabowo personally unveiled it and hopes to turn it into "Indonesia's Shenzhen". These benchmark projects and case studies demonstrate that infrastructure cooperation among developing countries can help activate growth drivers and transform development consensus into tangible development dividends.

Promote green and low-carbon transformation

In January of this year, the completion ceremony of the Jiatigide Hydropower Station project in Indonesia, which was contracted and constructed by Chinese enterprises, was held. The hydropower station can meet the electricity needs of about 500000 Indonesian households and save 48000 tons of coal annually. The Jiatigide Hydropower Station is a microcosm of China Indonesia cooperation in promoting green transformation. In recent years, a number of China Indonesia cooperation projects have sprung up to help Indonesia's energy transformation and industrial chain upgrading.

In Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, the Morowali Industrial Park, invested and constructed by Chinese enterprises, is an industrial park that integrates nickel mining, smelting, and battery material production. Indonesia is the country with the richest nickel reserves in the world, but it can only export raw mineral products in the long run. Chinese investment and technology have helped Morowali Industrial Park become an important center for nickel processing, transforming the advantages of nickel ore into the core competitiveness of the global new energy industry chain.

In the Chirata Reservoir in West Java Province, Indonesia, the Chirata Floating Photovoltaic Power Station invested by Chinese enterprises has become the largest water-based photovoltaic project in Southeast Asia. The power generation of this power station accounts for 25% of Indonesia's current new energy generation, which will save 117000 tons of standard coal annually and provide clean electricity for about 50000 households.

According to statistics from the Indonesian Ministry of Investment and Downstream Development, China's total direct investment in Indonesia in 2024 was 8.1 billion US dollars, ranking among the top three investment sources in Indonesia for nine consecutive years. In the process of implementing various investment projects, Chinese enterprises not only export funds, but also provide technical training and management experience to Indonesia, making development more sustainable through localized operations in Indonesia.

Taking the Jakarta Bandung high-speed railway as an example, Chinese enterprises provide training in welding, electrical engineering, mechanical operation, and other fields to the Indonesian side through employee mentorship and on-site training. Approximately 45000 people have received training, laying a talent foundation for the long-term stable operation of the Jakarta Bandung high-speed railway and the development of the Indonesian high-speed railway network; In the construction of the Chirata Reservoir project, Chinese enterprises have trained about 1000 outstanding talents in the field of surface photovoltaics for Indonesia. They have also cooperated with the local government to accept Indonesian university students to intern at the project department and cultivate relevant professional talents.

During the project construction process, the cooperation between the two parties is not only reflected in the infrastructure level, but also enhances Indonesia's domestic talent capabilities and technological level, "said Emil Monti, the public relations manager of Yawan High speed Railway Enterprise.

Continuous innovation in cooperation mechanisms

In February of this year, the "Danqing Friendship -2025 China Indonesia Contemporary Calligraphy and Painting Masters Exchange Exhibition" was held in Tangram City, Bandan Province, Indonesia to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Indonesia. More than 70 Chinese calligraphy and painting works and over 50 Indonesian calligraphy and painting works not only provide an artistic feast for the audience, but also vividly reflect the cultural exchanges and friendly cooperation between the two countries.

In recent years, the cooperation mechanisms between China and Indonesia in various fields such as economy, trade, and culture have been continuously updated, helping the two countries to embark on a new era of cooperation.

China has established over 10 economic and trade cooperation zones in Indonesia, with a bilateral trade volume of nearly 150 billion US dollars in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 8.5%; At the Confucius Institute in Jakarta, more and more young Indonesians are falling in love with the Chinese language. By 2025, China and Indonesia will continue to expand the scale of bilateral study abroad through various scholarships and other means, strengthen exchanges between university think tanks of the two countries, and promote mutual visits between teachers and students; In 2024, the number of Chinese tourists traveling to Indonesia exceeded 1.5 million, and more than 10 Chinese airlines added direct flights between the two countries

In November 2024, Indonesian President Prabowo will choose China as the first stop for his series of foreign visits after taking office. During the visit, China and Indonesia upgraded their political, economic, cultural, and maritime "four-wheel drive" cooperation to "five pillar" cooperation, and added security cooperation as the fifth pillar. They also signed a series of cooperation documents and commercial agreements.

Not long ago, Prabowo announced that Indonesia will join the New Development Bank. This is another measure taken by Indonesia to strengthen cooperation with developing countries and multilateral institutions after officially joining the BRICS mechanism at the beginning of this year, expanding the strength of global southern solidarity and cooperation.

The relationship between China and Indonesia is built on a deep foundation of friendship, with vast opportunities for cooperation. In the future, we look forward to working together with friends from all walks of life in Indonesia to promote the continuous development of bilateral relations and make the friendship between China and Indonesia more vibrant in the new era, "said Wang Lutong, Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia.