China, Indonesia to strengthen cooperation to augment strategic partnership

Beijing, March 23 (ANI): China and Indonesia have agreed to strengthen consultation and enhance cooperation to raise their bilateral ties to a higher level.

Chinese President Hu Jintao and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono reached the agreement during the talks in the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing.

Both countries agreed to expand trade and economic cooperation to promote common development and deepen defense cooperation by gradually expanding the scope of collaboration on defense and security, staging joint drills, increasing visits, jointly combating terrorism and cross-border crimes, and safeguarding the security and peace of their own countries and the region.

Both China and Indonesia agreed to enhance co-operation on maritime and space issues and expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges by people-to-people exchanges by increasing cooperation in the areas of education, media, youth and tourism.

Jintao said that Sino- Indonesia ties have seen healthy and rapid growth with fruitful cooperation in various spheres since the establishment of the strategic partnership.

He said China firmly supports Indonesia's efforts to safeguard national unity and territorial integrity, Xinhua reports.

Susilo said Indonesia considers China as a major cooperative partner, and expressed the confidence that their strategic partnership will continue to advance on the existing sound basis.

He added that Indonesia is ready to step up communication and coordination with China within the regional cooperation mechanism so as to promote the peace, stability and prosperity of the region. (ANI)