The "Global South Dialogue: China-Indonesia Roundtable Forum," hosted by the Global Times, took place in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Monday, with more than 150 guests from various sectors in China and Indonesia engaging in in-depth discussions on topics such as building a China-Indonesia community with a shared future, strengthening China-ASEAN regional cooperation, and promoting the common development of the Global South.
Guan Kejiang, president and editor-in-chief of the Global Times, said in his remarks that China is advancing its development and rejuvenation through Chinese modernization, while Indonesia is moving toward its Golden Indonesia 2045 Vision. China has forged increasingly close, mutually beneficial, and win-win partnerships with Indonesia and ASEAN. He hoped that this event would allow the world to hear more voices from China, Indonesia, ASEAN, and the Global South.
Zhou Kan, chargé d'affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, stated that both China and Indonesia are major developing nations and key representatives of the Global South. They are also significant members of the BRICS, the G20, and APEC. Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Indonesia relations have maintained a high level of development, exerting an ever-growing influence both regionally and globally. In recent years, political mutual trust between the two countries has deepened, economic integration has expanded, and people-to-people exchanges have become increasingly close. The in-depth dialogue and interaction between the two nations — spanning media, think tanks, and various other sectors — align with the demands of the times and respond to the expectations of all parties.
Noor Sona Maesana Mushonnif, special staff to the Indonesian Minister of Investment and Downstreaming, said in his speech that the comprehensive strategic partnership between Indonesia and China has bolstered the development of Indonesia's mining and electric vehicle sectors, while driving the transformation and upgrading of its traditional manufacturing industry. He expressed the hope that both sides would continue to expand cooperation in areas such as renewable energy, agriculture, the maritime sector, and high-value-added manufacturing - collectively fostering inclusive growth and strengthening the role of Global South nations in global development.
Maliki, deputy minister for Community Empowerment, Population, and Employment at Indonesia's Ministry of National Development Planning, said that Indonesia pursues inclusive and balanced economic growth, aiming to contribute to job creation, poverty eradication, and the enhancement of public well-being. He emphasized that countries of the Global South should work in concert — grounding their efforts in their respective national circumstances and realities — to integrate investment and technological empowerment with the development of human capabilities and social security systems, thereby collectively forging a future of sustainable development.
Mayjen TNI (Purn) Sudrajat, special advisor for defense diplomacy to the Indonesian Minister of Defense and former Indonesian ambassador to China, said in his remarks that trade cooperation between Indonesia and China has achieved leapfrog development over the past 20 years. Recently, the two sides held the inaugural meeting of the Indonesia-China Comprehensive Strategic Dialogue Mechanism and the second ministerial-level meeting of the "2+2" dialogue mechanism (involving foreign and defense ministers), further deepening cooperation across five key pillars: political, economic, people-to-people, maritime, and security affairs. Through institutionalized strategic communication, complementary strategic synergy, and a people-centered approach to development, both nations can advance the building of a China-Indonesia community with a shared future.
In his keynote address at a panel on China-ASEAN cooperation, Wang Qing, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Head of Mission of the People's Republic of China to ASEAN, stated that Indonesia — as a leader within ASEAN, the host of the ASEAN Secretariat, the birthplace of the Bandung Spirit, and a significant force in the Global South — holds a pivotal position. China attaches great importance to fostering closer cooperation with Indonesia within the ASEAN platform and the East Asia cooperation framework. By doing so, both nations can drive the continued advancement of China-ASEAN relations, jointly write a new chapter of solidarity and self-reliance for the Global South, and further enrich the substance of a China-Indonesia community with a shared future — one that carries both regional and global influence.
Representatives from the political, academic, media, and business sectors of both countries engaged in dialogues centered on three key topics: "Upholding the Principles of Extensive Consultation, Joint Contribution, and Shared Benefits to Build a China-Indonesia Community with a Shared Future," "Deepening Strategic Alignment to Write a New Chapter in China-ASEAN Development," and "Promoting People-Centered, Common Development to Foster a More Just International Order." Drawing on their respective fields — including trade and investment, media and think tank exchanges, green energy, the localization of business operations, higher education cooperation, rural transformation, and youth-led digital and cultural innovation — the participants shared practical experiences. Using China-Indonesia cooperation as a model, they sought to build consensus for collaboration within the Global South, working together to write a new chapter of inclusive and sustainable development.
This article first appears in the Global Times: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202610/1372607.shtml