Indonesia, China Deepen 5-Pillar Ties as 2025 Trade Hits $167.49 Billion
Updated
Updated · rri.co.id · Jul 18
Indonesia, China Deepen 5-Pillar Ties as 2025 Trade Hits $167.49 Billion
3 articles · Updated · rri.co.id · Jul 18
Summary
Chinese Ambassador Wang Lutong said Indonesia-China ties have entered a new phase under Presidents Prabowo Subianto and Xi Jinping, framed as building a community with a shared future.
Five pillars will anchor the stronger partnership: politics, the economy, people-to-people and cultural ties, maritime affairs, and security, backed by a “2+2” dialogue between foreign and defense ministers.
USD 167.49 billion in 2025 bilateral trade kept China as Indonesia’s largest trading partner for a 13th straight year, with the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail cited as a flagship project.
765,700 Chinese tourists visited Indonesia from January to May, up 21.16% year on year, while a 240-hour visa-free transit policy and expanded Mandarin programs widened people-to-people links.
Wang said Beijing is ready to carry out all agreements reached by Prabowo and Xi, aiming to turn closer ties into more productive and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Is China's new security dialogue with Indonesia a partnership of equals or a challenge to traditional US alliances?
As nickel tensions rise, is the Indonesia-China 'stronger' partnership facing its first major test?
Will China's AI investments transform Indonesia into a tech powerhouse or deepen its technological dependence?
Indonesia and China in 2025-2026: Economic Integration, Strategic Challenges, and the Path to Sustainable Partnership
Overview
As of mid-2026, Indonesia and China maintain a pragmatic and steady relationship, marked by deepening economic integration and stable diplomatic engagement. Indonesia follows its 'free and active' foreign policy, carefully balancing interactions with global powers to uphold non-alignment. Economic ties are robust, with significant Chinese investment flowing into Indonesia, strengthening their broader economic integration. This approach allows Indonesia to benefit from China's investment while maintaining its independent stance, reflecting a strategic balance that supports both economic growth and diplomatic stability.