A delegation of senior Japanese business leaders, led by the head of the Japan-China Economic Association (JCEA) Shindo Kosei, has been visiting China since Tuesday, the first such visit in four years.
Observers and industry insiders said on Wednesday that they expect the ongoing visit could lead to more common ground in bilateral cooperation, such as facilitating people-to-people exchanges and green-energy activities, while bringing more positivity to China-Japan relations, which have hit a number of geopolitical setbacks in recent months.
The delegation, which is scheduled to stay through Friday, will discuss a wide range of economic issues with the Chinese side.
About 200 people are participating in the trip to China, including Masakazu Tokura, chairman of the Japan Business Federation and Ken Kobayashi, chairman of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Japan News reported on Wednesday.
"It marks the 46th time that a Japanese business delegation visited China since 1975…We hope that through exchange and dialogue with the Chinese side, the two countries could rebuild a trustworthy and friendly cooperation environment, and develop complementary, mutual learning and improving cooperation mechanisms," the JCEA said in a statement sent to the Global Times.
China and Japan are Asian neighbors and the second- and third-largest economies in the world. Under the current international situation, "it is of increasing necessity for the two countries to strengthen cooperation based on a spirit of mutual trust," the association added.
The delegation's composition is of substantial scale, which underscores the significant importance that the Japanese business community attaches to China-Japan economic relations, Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
The visit is widely seen as sending a positive signal for bilateral economic relations, and it also mirrors the desire of the Japanese business community to maintain dialogue with China and expand cooperation, especially at a time when Japan's economy is struggling with a lack of indigenous drive, and as bilateral trade and investment slowed or fell last year, observers said.
China is Japan's largest trading partner and one of the top investment destinations for Japanese companies. In 2023, China's exports to Japan dropped 8.4 percent year-on-year, while imports from Japan declined 12.9 percent, customs data showed.
It is not in the interests of the majority of the Japanese business community to impose trade curbs on shipments to China, Chen Zilei, director of the Research Center for Japanese Economics at the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
China-Japan relations have been overshadowed by China-US relations. The Fumio Kishida government has for some time followed the US strategy of containing China, such as by restricting exports of advanced chipmaking equipment to China in 2023.
Ahead of the visit, Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, met with Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi in Beijing on Monday, during which they conducted in-depth communication on topics involving facilitating pragmatic cooperation between Chinese and Japanese businesses, as well as the World Expo 2025 in Osaka.
Chen expected that the Japanese side could discuss opening more direct flights and creating more convenience for business exchanges, as well as expanding areas of cooperation, as economic ties between the two countries remain complementary.
But Chen also stressed that other requests of the Japanese side should be made on the basis of "respecting the national security of China and the safety and health of Chinese citizens."
According to a report by the Nikkei, the delegation could also express the hope for the Chinese authorities to lift the ban on seafood imports from Japan, following the latter's dumping of nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the ocean.
It is also hoped that the deepening of bilateral economic ties would create a positive environment and conditions for easing and stabilization in China-Japan relations, observers said.
According to a survey recently released by the Global Times Institute, nearly 60 percent of respondents from 19 countries, including Japan, expressed the desire for their countries to have closer and friendlier relations with China.
China hopes that the EU could uphold fair and justice in addressing the China-EU economic and trade issues to further promote business relations, said Chinese Premier Li Qiang when meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
"It is hoped that the EU will uphold justice, compliance and transparency in economic and trade matters, treat Chinese enterprises fairly, and prudently introduce restrictive economic and trade policies and deploy trade remedies," Li said.
China stands ready to import more products from the EU that align with market demand, and hopes the EU will relax export restrictions on high-tech products to China, Li noted, adding that it is hoped that the two sides will work together in the same direction to push for more balanced development in bilateral trade.
China pledged to continue fostering a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business climate, and willing to work with the EU to jointly abide by the basic norms governing market economy, he said.
Li called on the two sides to take the next meeting of the China-EU High-Level People-to-People Dialogue mechanism as an opportunity to strengthen dialogue and cooperation in education, science and technology, culture and tourism, and accelerate the resumption of personnel exchanges to inject new vitality into China-EU relations.
China is willing to work with the EU to implement important areas of consensus reached in the China-EU Summit, and make bilateral ties more stable, constructive, and reciprocal, so as to better promote the prosperity and development of China, the EU and the broader world, he added.
Von der Leyen said that the EU appreciates China's continuous opening-up and does not intend to "decouple" from China. She said that EU is ready to work with China in tackling climate change and promoting the reform of the World Trade Organization and further develop bilateral relationship.
China-US exchanges in various fields got off to a good start in 2024. On the first day of the New Year, leaders of the two countries exchanged congratulatory letters on the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Then the 17th China-US Defense Policy Coordination Talks were held in Washington from January 8 to 9. On Tuesday, Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, visited the US and was invited to deliver a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations and engaged in communication with the US side. Meanwhile, the Peking University Table Tennis Team's visit to the US and the University of Virginia Table Tennis Team's visit to China replayed the classic scene in the history of China-US relations, where the small ball pushes the big ball.
The simultaneous exchanges at the military, diplomatic and civilian fields are remarkable in this period as China-US relations are stabilizing and rebounding. The resumption and closeness of exchanges is what the Chinese and US societies as well as the international community anticipate. If China-US relations are stable, the world situation will not be in chaos; if China-US relations are unstable, the rest of the world will become concerned.
The perceptions, policies and actions of the US toward China in recent years have once brought China-US relations to a low ebb and created huge risks and potential dangers for the world. The serious consequences of the US' short-sighted policies have forced it to engage in rational reflection, and the concerns and expectations of the international community have formed a synergy that has prompted the US to make certain adjustments in its relations with China. After the San Francisco meeting, the US has shown more enthusiasm than before in implementing the important consensus of the two heads of state, and we hope that this is the result of the US drawing the lessons from the twists and turns in China-US relations in the past year, and that it will not make the same mistakes again.
Signs of relaxation in China-US relations also emerged at the beginning of 2023, but were quickly disrupted by the US sensationalizing the "balloon incident." Many actual actions by the US on issues concerning Taiwan Straits, the South China Sea, and high-tech exports to China not only failed to implement the consensus reached by the leaders and the commitments of US President Joe Biden but some instead went in the completely opposite direction, creating one vortex after another in bilateral relations. This year, China-US relations need to break free from these whirlpools.
Regarding China-US relations, China has consistently emphasized mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation. The US should genuinely meet China halfway. As long as the US continues to categorize China as a "competitor" or even a "threat," all of its policies toward China will ultimately push China in that direction, and the US' gestures of easing tensions, as well as communication and exchanges, may be seen by China as mere tactical maneuvers or expedient measures without sincerity, or even with malicious intent. The US needs to work together with China to rebuild the basic political mutual trust; otherwise, it will be impossible to achieve a healthy, stable and sustained development of bilateral relations.
The US, on the one hand, is pushing for what it calls intense competition with China, while on the other hand, it is concerned that this competition might spiral out of control into conflict and confrontation. This in itself is contradictory. If the US seeks communication and exchanges solely for the purpose of competing with China "safely" without concerns, the effectiveness of such communication and exchanges will be limited. It is even less likely to guarantee that the competition initiated by the US will always stay within the "guardrails" envisioned by the US. The US should abandon this unrealistic idea as soon as possible.
In this round of communication, China has expressed its sincere desire for strengthened cooperation with the US and goodwill for peaceful coexistence. However, China has also reiterated its unwavering determination not to compromise or concede on the Taiwan question. The US must acknowledge and respect China's major concerns. On issues related to China's core interests, especially the Taiwan question, which is at the very core of China's core interests, the US must exercise caution and not cross red lines. This is a prerequisite for the correct handling of China-US relations. Without this foundation, meaningful discussions become impossible.
China has been a dependable partner in the development of the Maldives, and there are various areas in which both sides can strengthen bilateral cooperation under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), ranging from the blue economy and digital economy to green technology, as well as infrastructure, the Maldives National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MNCCI) told the Global Times.
The remarks came after the successful conclusion of the official visit to China of President of the Maldives Mohamed Muizzu from January 8 to 12. A slew of key cooperative projects were inked, as the two countries sought to deepen bilateral cooperation for win-win outcomes.
The presidential visit was eagerly anticipated by the business community in the Maldives, particularly with regard to fostering collaboration in enhancing tourism, facilitating secure infrastructure investments, and advancing cooperation in areas such as security, trade, and global challenges, the MNCCI said.
"China has consistently proven to be a dependable partner in the development of our nation," said the chamber.
China's participation in the economic development of the island nation has been evident under the BRI. One of the most prominent examples of recent Chinese investment is the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, the first cross-sea bridge in the Maldives built by a Chinese company.
The bridge has significantly expanded economic connectivity, presenting numerous commercial prospects. According to the MNCCI, this has not only enhanced supply chain logistics but also led to the exploration of new housing opportunities, and development of the Youth City project in Hulhumale. The housing projects undertaken by Chinese investors have also propelled the development of the Youth City to unprecedented levels, the MNCCI said.
Another example is the expansion and upgrading of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, with the participation of Chinese companies. This enhancement has significantly improved connectivity, bolstered tourism, and potentially created new employment opportunities.
Chinese investment, particularly in critical infrastructure projects, has injected much-needed capital for overall development, addressing essential areas such as housing, renewable energy, and waste management, the Maldives industry chamber said.
There are various areas where the chamber sees potential for enhanced cooperation with China, including the blue economy, which covers marine resources such as aquaculture and fisheries. Other areas are sustainable development and tourism.
The digital economy, in which China has expertise and technology is also an area that both sides can explore, including e-commerce, fintech and digital payments, the MNCCI said. Green technology and infrastructure could also be areas for further cooperation with win-win outcomes, including climate resilient infrastructure, waste management and recycling.
The BRI has been a pivotal in the strengthened cooperation. Looking ahead, the Maldives business chamber said that "our future aspirations hinge on prioritizing sustainability initiatives... crucially, we emphasize the importance of training Maldivians to operate and maintain BRI projects, ensuring enduring benefits and contributing to the long-term success of these endeavors."
The MNCCI also underscored the need to preserve the strategic autonomy of the Maldives and diversification of partnerships to prevent an undue reliance on any single country.
Witnessed by 150 scientists from eight countries, the International PlateauPlus Association (PlateauPlus) was established Thursday in Beijing, during the PlateauPlus Workshop held by the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research (ITP) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
PlateauPlus is a platform proposed by Chinese scientists that aims to unite top research institutions and scientists from more than 20 countries across the globe where giant plateaus are located. It is designated to serve as an international platform for mega plateau research and to develop a new model of interdisciplinary and cross-regional global cooperation in Earth system science, read a statement the ITPCAS sent to the Global Times.
The association will focus on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Iranian Plateau in Asia, the Colorado Plateau and Columbia Plateau in North America, the Altiplano Plateau in South America, the East African Plateau in Africa and the Alps in Europe. It will conduct research on the formation and evolution of plateaus, environmental effects, biodiversity changes and human adaptation. It will also decipher the coupling mechanism between plateau uplift and surface environmental changes, and reveal the changes in plateau habitability and human social evolution, according to the ITPCAS.
Mega plateaus have significant impacts on the environment, biodiversity, and human survival. Previously, the ITPCAS mainly focused on studying the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which has also attracted many foreign scientists. However, besides the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, other mega plateaus around the world also have a tremendous impact on these aspects. So it's a good idea to unite scientists all around the world to jointly examine all these mega plateaus and find out what factors have played a vital role or how these plateaus affect each other in shaping the current environmental landscape, rivers as well as human migration and adaptation, Ding Lin, an ITP researcher and Academician of the CAS and one of the initiators of PlateauPlus, told the Global Times.
"Although aspects of the orographic development of the Tibetan region are still actively debated, collaboration across disciplines and testing ideas within the rigor of mathematical models are honing our understanding of the highly complex natural processes inherent to the Tibetan geo/ecosystem. If humans are ever going to manage our planet in a responsible and informed way, then the lessons we have learned from Tibetan Plateau research must be applied more widely to other orographically complex systems. These lessons are not just those relating to the science itself, but how we do the research, how we improve our methodologies, how we nurture international collaboration and integrate local knowledge with broader global perspectives," said Robert Spicer, emeritus professor of Earth Sciences at The Open University in the UK.
"We now have a magnificent toolbox of methodologies and ideas that can be used to investigate other plateaus worldwide, so it is time to explore and integrate plateau system research globally," Spicer said. He noted that as a world leader in science, China is very attractive for foreign scientists.
During the two-day PlateauPlus Workshop, global scientists discussed the formation and evolution of plateaus, environmental effects, biodiversity changes, and human adaptation.
Ding said that in the future the ITPCAS will host workshops in different countries, fostering a truly global perspective.
Field excursions in various global mega plateaus will be a crucial part of the journey, offering hands-on experience and deeper insights. A key focus will be engaging more and more local institutions, especially from regions like East Africa and South America, which are currently underrepresented, according to Ding.
Strengthening these connections is essential for a more comprehensive understanding and inclusive approach to the research, he noted.
As a cold wave swept across northern China, the Chinese capital welcomed its first snow of the winter on Sunday evening. Traffic in Beijing has also been affected by the snowfall, with heavy congestion during the morning rush hour on Monday.
Following the snowfall, Beijing was covered in a silver-white coat, presenting picturesque scenes at Beihai Park, the watchtowers and the Shenwu Gate of the Forbidden City. The snow covered the buildings of the Forbidden City, making the red walls and golden tiles appear more vibrant, creating a striking contrast with the pristine white snow, resulting in a beautiful and magnificent sight. Coincidentally, the Forbidden City is closed on Mondays, presenting a serene and peaceful atmosphere after the closure.
Different from the Forbidden City, the Universal Studios theme park is bustling as usual. Many visitors wearing wizard robes headed straight to the Harry Potter's Wizarding World area, checking in at the silver-clad Hogsmeade Village, as if they have "traveled" into the classic snow scenes from the movies.
Netizens were amazed by the snowy scenes and expressed optimism for a prosperous year with auspicious snowfall. Many netizens from the southern regions expressed their envy, saying, "Beijing has already seen the first snow, while in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, we still need to use electric fans. Southerners who have never seen snow are eager to personally experience it!"
Also enjoying the first snow was the star giant panda Meng Lan, "the 3rd Prince of Xizhimen," who once went viral for "breaking through" the enclosure at the Beijing Zoo. On the snowy day, Meng Lan rolled and happily frolicked in powedery snow. Visitors couldn't help but chuckle at the adorable sight.
From 7 pm on Sunday to 6 am on Monday, the average snowfall in Beijing was 5.1 millimeters, with the urban area averaging 5.8 millimeters. The highest snowfall occurred in Pupuwa, Fangshan district reaching 9.8 millimeters. According to Beijing Public Transport Group, as of 6 am, a total of 172 bus routes had been adjusted due to the snowy weather, including 157 routes that had been suspended, nine routes with adjusted sections, and six routes with detours and skipped stops.
The Beijing Capital International Airport plans to operate 1,100 flights and transport approximately 150,000 passengers on Monday. As of 7 am, 84 flights had been executed and 59 flights had been canceled. At 6 am, the airport initiated targeted de-icing operations, and a total of 22 flights had been de-iced. The overall operation of Beijing Capital International Airport remains normal.
Affected by a strong cold air mass, the meteorological department in East China's Shandong Province issued a blue warning for cold wave and a yellow warning for road icing on Saturday, and continued to issue a yellow warning for strong winds at sea on Sunday. Under the influence of the cold wave, there was also moderate to heavy snow and local blizzards in the northwest and central regions of Shandong. In addition, the city of Yulin in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province experienced significant rain and snow and a drop in temperatures on Sunday. Several local meteorological monitoring stations recorded snowfall at the level of heavy snow, and the average temperature dropped by 6 C to 8 C.
In Zhengzhou and Xinxiang, Central China's Henan Province, primary and secondary schools, as well as kindergartens, had half-day off on Monday.
On Sunday, a significant drop in temperatures occurred across most parts of Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, with the lowest temperatures expected to reach -25 C to -30 C in some areas from December 10 to December 15. To cope with the cold weather, various measures had been taken to strengthen water and heating supply and other livelihood guarantees. In Fujin city, the local heating company has increased the frequency of inspections on heating equipment such as pipelines and valves to ensure the quality of heating.
To ensure the safety of passengers, the railway departments had suspended 112 passenger trains heading to Beijing, Xiamen, Chengdu, Taiyuan, among other routes, with some trains experiencing delays.
Researchers from the Institute of Process Engineering (IPE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have proposed a new "nano-micro composite" delivery concept for vaccines and developed a single-dose, dry-powder, inhalable vaccine platform. The vaccine made in the laboratory based on the technology is effective in blocking respiratory viral infection and transmission in animal test, showing great promise for combating future emerging and epidemic infectious diseases. This study was published in Nature on Wednesday.
In recent years, researchers have made significant progress in developing vaccines for infectious respiratory diseases. However, most of these vaccines are administered through intramuscular injection, which primarily induces a humoral immune response and relies on blood antibodies to neutralize the virus. This approach fails to trigger a mucosal immune response and establish a robust immune barrier in the respiratory tract, according to a release from the research group.
The current liquid form of vaccines requires to be stored in strict low-temperature, and the two- or three-dose vaccination schedule also impacts the overall vaccination rate.
In confronting these problems, professor Wei Wei and professor Ma Guanghui from the State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering at IPE, in cross-disciplinary collaboration with professor Wang Hengliang and professor Zhu Li from the State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, have developed a new vaccine platform.
This platform combines biodegradable microspheres with protein nanoparticles. The surface of these nanoparticles can simultaneously display multiple antigens, thus inducing a broad-spectrum immune response and expanding the range of vaccine protection. The platform also allows for the quick and convenient development of other respiratory virus vaccines due to the flexibility of antigen presentation.
The platform's unique nano-micro composite structure enables an efficient immune response in the lungs by facilitating high-performance delivery. Once antigen-nanoparticles are released, they can be efficiently taken up by antigen-presenting cells.
Moreover, this dry powder vaccine significantly reduces storage and transportation costs, making it suitable for areas with limited refrigeration facilities, thus improving immunization rates.
The sustained release of antigens in the vaccine induces long-lasting humoral, cellular, and mucosal immunity with just a single inhalation
In cooperation with professor He Zhanlong of the Institute of Medical Biology of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, the researchers developed a model of airborne protection, close contact protection, and airborne transmission blocking, which demonstrated that an inhaled vaccine is highly effective in preventing the virus infection and transmission.
"The components of this nano-micro system used natural proteins and approved polymer materials, and the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine have been systematically studied in non-human primates, indicating its great potential for clinical translation," professor Wei said.
"The audience here in Chengdu is incredibly enthusiastic, and I deeply enjoyed the game. Every time we scored or made a good defensive play, the audience gave us big rounds of applause and cheers," basketball player Yu Ai-Che from the Chinese Taipei team told the Global Times on Monday evening after the competition against the Chinese team at the 31st FISU World University Games in Chengdu.
In Monday's Men's basketball competition, the Chinese Taipei team defeated the mainland team with a score of 97:84. Both teams had previously suffered two consecutive defeats by Lithuania and Brazil in the earlier group stage, which meant they had no chance of advancing to the top eight.
"The atmosphere in Chengdu is fantastic, and I'm extremely grateful to the audience. They continually cheered and clapped for our team throughout the game. I've played in the mainland when I was in high school, and I definitely want to play with mainland players again to improve both our techniques," said Yu Ai-Che after the competition.
In addition to the audience's passionate support for both teams from the first period to the last, the Global Times also noted that during the halftime break of the match, the panda-shaped mascot Rongbao and the entire audience sang the song "A Family Who Loves Each Other" together. The Taiwan island's folk song "Maiden of Alisan" resonated with the people present. The two teams also exchanged gifts before the start of the match.
Mainland player Zhang Ning said that he gave plush toys of Rongbao to his friends from the island of Taiwan, just as he would bring back souvenirs for his family.
The Argentine Consulate General in Hong Kong held the Argentina National Day Reception, on July 19. Argentine Ambassador to China Sabino Vaca Narvaja delivered a speech at the ceremony in which he said, "I looked forward to keeping close relations with the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, and jointly boosting global development in the next 50 years."
Narvaja said that Argentina could further explore changes between the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao in the areas of trade, investment, infrastructure, mineral resources, as well as culture, tourism and sports based on the current bilateral relations between China and Argentina and prospects for future cooperation.
During Argentine President Alberto Fernandez's visit to China in February 2022 with the occasion of commemorating the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, China and Argentina signed a memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative.
"Argentina and Hong Kong have strong economic complementarities, and Hong Kong has played an important bridging role in the cooperative relationship between China and Argentina," Consul General of Argentina in Hong Kong Gonzalo Javier Sabate said.
Representatives from Hong Kong's performing arts community attending the reception hoped that more Argentine artists would participate in projects featuring Hong Kong's diverse society and culture in the future.
The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR), a landmark project under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is undergoing intensive joint commissioning and testing, paving the way for commercial operations scheduled to begin soon this year.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang aboard a bullet train during a trial run on Wednesday during his official trip to the ASEAN summit in Indonesia from September 5 to 7, Reuters reported.
The Jakarta-Bandung HSR is the first high-speed railway line in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, connecting Indonesia's most densely populated areas.
As the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway line is set to open, Global Times reporters Hu Yuwei and Zhao Juecheng (GT) interviewed the Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Lu Kang (Lu), who is also a former spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Lu believed that the Jakarta-Bandung HSR will bring tangible benefits to Indonesia, while expecting the project to become a new growth point and create a high-speed railway economic corridor. He argued that the consensus reached by the heads of China and Indonesia further illuminates the direction to be taken and injects strong momentum into future relations. China supports Indonesia's chairmanship of ASEAN and is willing to deepen comprehensive strategic partnerships with ASEAN members.
GT: What changes will the Jakarta-Bandung HSR bring to Indonesia? What are local people's expectations?
Lu: The opening of the Jakarta-Bandung HSR will bring many tangible benefits to Indonesia such as more efficient travel conditions. The travel time from Jakarta to Bandung will be reduced from three and a half hour to just 40 minutes, effectively alleviating commuting traffic pressure between the two cities.
In the long run, the project will further boost investment and create employment opportunities for the people, and drive commercial development and tourism along the route. It may even become a new growth point, accelerating the formation of a high-speed railway economic corridor.
On June 22, I was invited to take a trial ride on the train together with Indonesia's Coordinator for Cooperation with China and Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, and president of railway operator China State Railway Group Liu Zhenfang. During the trial ride, the train reached a speed of over 355 kilometers per hour, surpassing the current fastest commercial speed of any high-speed railway in the world, which amazed our Indonesian friends and earned praise for Chinese-made high-speed railway technology.
On that day, I also noticed that many locals were watching the train along the way. I was told that Indonesian people take videos of the passing trains along the high-speed railway every day, which reflects their high expectations for the project.
GT: The construction of the Jakarta-Bandung HSR marks the first all-round implementation of Chinese high-speed railway technology abroad, from the whole system and all of its elements, to the whole industrial chain. Does it mean a big step for China's high-speed railway manufacturing going global?
Lu: The Jakarta-Bandung HSR vividly embodies the concept of "extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits" under the BRI framework and has important reference significance for us to carry out other similar projects.
The successful completion of the Jakarta-Bandung HSR directly proves that Chinese manufacturing technology is mature, efficient, internationally standardized, adaptable to local environments, and actively integrated into the development plans of the host country. This will greatly facilitate China's manufacturing going global and inspire developing countries to have confidence in pursuing development paths that suit their own national conditions.
GT: According to your observations how has the BRI benefited livelihoods and brought tangible benefits to the Indonesian people?
Lu: Taking infrastructure connectivity as an example, since the proposal of the BRI, China and Indonesia have cooperated to build a number of high-quality projects, covering areas such as power plants, roads and bridges, dams, and telecommunication networks, making positive contributions to Indonesia's passion to become a traffic hub.
A series of iconic projects have been completed, such as the Suramadu Bridge, the longest sea-crossing bridge in Southeast Asia, the Tayan Bridge, the longest corbeled stone-arch bridge in Indonesia, and the Jatigede Dam, the second-largest dam in Indonesia, bringing convenience to the local populations.
Chinese-funded enterprises in Indonesia have not only provided a large number of job opportunities for the locals but also contributed to the development of local livelihoods through knowledge and technology sharing. Taking the Jakarta-Bandung HSR as an example, over 75 percent of the services and procurement for the project are sourced locally in Indonesia, significantly boosting the local supply chain and employment. It is estimated that the project will create 30,000 job opportunities in Indonesia.
GT: Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo On July 27 in Chengdu when Widodo visited China. How do you evaluate the achievements of President Widodo's visit to China this time?
Lu: This is the third face-to-face meeting between the two heads of state within a year, which reflects the high level and special nature of China-Indonesia relations. As President Xi said, on the path to national modernization and rejuvenation, China and Indonesia share highly aligned visions and present opportunities for each other's development, are like-minded companions, and good partners.
This further clears the direction and injects strong momentum into the future friendship between China and Indonesia. After the meeting, the two leaders witnessed the signing of multiple bilateral cooperation agreements, including agricultural product exports to China, health cooperation, joint research and development, as well as the construction of the new Indonesian capital and the "Two Countries, Twin Parks" project, achieving significant practical results.
GT: This year marks the 10th anniversary of the BRI and the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Indonesia. We have noticed that President Widodo's "Global Maritime Fulcrum (GMF)" strategy resonates with China's 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative. How do you envision future cooperation between China and Indonesia with synergy of strategies?
Lu: In November 2022, Chinese President Xi and Indonesian President Widodo reached an important consensus on building a community of shared future between China and Indonesia. They agreed to take the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Indonesia in 2023 as an opportunity to create a new pattern of high-level cooperation.
The two sides signed a cooperation plan under the framework of aligning the BRI with the GMF concept, and significant progress has been made in its implementation. The Jakarta-Bandung HSR is one of the flagship projects.
In July this year, the two heads of state met again in Chengdu and reached an important consensus on deepening strategic cooperation between China and Indonesia.
We will take the 10th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries and the first year of the China-Indonesia community of shared future as a chance to promote deeper and higher-level strategic cooperation between the two sides, injecting more certainty and positive energy into the region and the world.
GT: How do you evaluate the current level of cooperation between China and Indonesia in the fields of economy, trade, and investment? What suggestions do you have for further enhancing bilateral economic and trade cooperation?
Lu: In recent years, with the comprehensive integration of the BRI and Indonesia's GMF, China-Indonesia economic and trade cooperation has achieved fruitful results. China has been Indonesia's largest trading partner for 10 consecutive years. In 2022, the bilateral trade volume between China and Indonesia reached $149.1 billion, a year-on-year increase of 20.16 percent. Investment cooperation is also a highlight of the two countries' economic and trade cooperation. In 2022, the Chinese mainland's investment in Indonesia reached $8.2 billion, a year-on-year increase of 156.25 percent, maintaining its position as the second-largest foreign investor in Indonesia.
According to the consensus reached by both sides earlier this year, China is willing to further expand the importation of Indonesian bulk commodities and high-quality agricultural and fishery products according to market demand.
The Chinese government encourages its enterprises to invest in Indonesia and expand cooperation in infrastructure, green development, the digital economy, healthcare, and other fields. We aim to create highlights in maritime cooperation and promote the resumption of fisheries cooperation.
GT: In the current tense geopolitical situation, ASEAN members have become objects of competition for major powers. Indonesia is the key member of the ASEAN. How can China-Indonesia cooperation better deal with geopolitics challenges and achieve long-term stability?
Lu: This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries and the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. As President Xi once said, the Asia-Pacific is no one's backyard and should not become an arena for big power contests and no attempt to wage a new cold war will ever be allowed by the people or by our times. This is the inevitable requirement for maintaining peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and the common wishes of people in the ASEAN and other countries.
One important reason why the ASEAN can maintain its central position in the regional architecture is its long-standing commitment to independence, non-alignment, and neutrality. The ASEAN has repeatedly stated that it will adhere to openness, inclusiveness, dialogue, and cooperation, and focus on economic development without aligning with or targeting any party.
In the process of achieving national modernization and rejuvenation, China and Indonesia have highly compatible ideas that present mutually beneficial development opportunities. They are like-minded partners and good companions.
China supports Indonesia's role as the rotating chair of the ASEAN this year and is willing to deepen comprehensive strategic partnerships with ASEAN countries, including Indonesia, and jointly create a positive energy.
GT: Shortly after taking office as Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia in 2022, you opened a Twitter account. Do you have any interesting or memorable stories to share with us about your interactions with locals on social media?
Lu: Since opening my Twitter account over a year ago, I have been able to interact closely with Indonesian and global netizens through this platform, and I am deeply impressed by their interest in China.
A friend once told me that the Indonesian people seem less interested in politics, but the content I shared on Twitter about President Xi's activities and the interpretation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era have received widespread and positive responses.
In the comments section, many Indonesian netizens have expressed their appreciation, saying that Indonesians like to cooperate with China for development and that cooperation with China is friendly trade, not a command.
Such enthusiastic feedback was unexpected but reasonable. China's wisdom and solutions have made it possible to solve more global issues and inject new energy into global development.
