Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, held a bilateral meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister H.E. Wang Yi at the Changai Shan Geopark, China, to discuss various topics, including encouraging investment in solar power. Luhut invited Chinese companies already collaborating with Indonesia in green energy investments to bring their suppliers to invest in the country. He noted that Singapore needs electricity from Indonesia and urged Chinese solar power producers to establish solar panel factories in Indonesia. “Given our solar energy potential of 3000 GW and the significant demand from neighboring countries like Singapore of 11 GW by 2035, I encourage Chinese solar power producers and supply chain companies to build factories in Indonesia,” Luhut said, as quoted from his Instagram on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. The two parties also reviewed trilateral cooperation proposals agreed upon at the fourth Indonesia-China High-Level Dialogue and Cooperation Mechanism (HDCM) meeting in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, in April 2024.
Luhut emphasized two crucial steps to enhance Indonesia-China cooperation: forming a task force to promote cooperation in food security and health, and focusing on three areas of collaboration—green development, digital development, and public welfare—to implement various G2G MoUs signed in 2023 concerning digital economic cooperation, energy transition, and downstream industries. "I also mentioned that Chinese companies already investing in green energy in Indonesia should invite their suppliers to invest in the country, particularly in the nickel-based battery industry using Indonesian nickel production," he added. Additionally, Luhut sought China's assistance in helping Indonesia improve air quality through technical assistance for reducing pollution from coal-fired power plants. He also invited the Chinese Government to participate in the Indonesia International Sustainability Forum, scheduled for September 5-6, 2024. He noted that in 2025, Indonesia and China will celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations, expressing hope that both countries will continue to support each other and achieve mutual prosperity. "Like two bamboo shoots growing side by side and reaching the sky, the comprehensive strategic partnership we have forged serves as a model of solidarity and mutual support, realizing a shared future for other developing nations," he remarked.
