The People’s Republic of China’s Consul-General in Denpasar, Bali, Zhu Xinglong, on Tuesday expressed the hope for continued Chinese-Indonesia friendship after decades of productive cooperation between the two countries.

“We hope China and Indonesia would consolidate their friendship and continue their cooperation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,” Zhu said at the virtual commemoration of the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, held in Denpasar on Tuesday.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected countries in the world equally and has also had an impact on global health and economy, he noted.

China has urged the international community, including Indonesia, to join hands and collaborate to defeat the common enemy, the COVID-19 pandemic, and restore the global economy, Zhu said. Meanwhile, Speaker of the Bali Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD), Nyoman Adi Wiryatama, congratulated the Consulate-General on the 72nd anniversary of the People’s Republic of China and expressed hope for continued friendship and mutual support amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

“International relations is essential for any country in the world, as it is the medium to fulfill national goals to bring prosperity to the people and to achieve world peace,” he said.

The current amicable relations with China would be beneficial for Indonesia, as China is one of Indonesia’s major partners in the global community, Wiryatama pointed out.

Indonesia holds a strategic position in the Asia-Pacific region and the Malacca Strait, and the country also has rich natural and mineral resources that could be beneficial for Indonesia-China relations, he added.

“With a total population of more than 243 million, Indonesia is a potential market for industrial countries, particularly China. Our amicable relations with China have been shown by our mutual support on infrastructure development and COVID-19 vaccine procurement,” the regional assembly speaker said.

Source: Antara News