President Jokowi Attends Opening of Belt and Road Forum in Beijing

President Jokowi to China to study modern Silk Road.

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Beijing, 17 Sha’ban 1438/14 May 2017 (MINA) – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) attended an opening ceremony of Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, at the China National Convention Center, here, Sunday.

Twenty nine heads of state and government are present in the Forum held on May 14 and 15, which is also known as Silk Road Summit.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday announced that Beijing will lend 380 billion yuan (US$55.09 billion) to support cooperation on its ambitious “One Belt, One Road” initiative to expand links between Asia, Africa and Europe.

“We should build an open platform of cooperation and uphold and grow an open world economy,” said Xi during the opening of the summit.

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Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno LP Marsudi earlier said the Indonesian Government has intensified the implementation of infrastructure and connectivity development program for better connectivity in the country.

“In the context of ASEAN, there is ASEAN Connectivity 2025,” she said.

President Jokowi and his Filipino counterpart, President Rodrigo Duterte, last April inaugurated a Davao-General Santos-Bitung roll on/roll off (RORO) Shipping Service, as part of the ASEAN Connectivity program.

Indonesia is open to cooperation with other countries, including in the context of “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR) initiative.

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“Indonesia always emphasizes that cooperation must bring benefit to the people and contribute to stability and world peace,” Minister Retno Marsudi was quoted as saying by Bey Machmudin, head of the Press, Media and Information Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat.

During his stay in Beijing, President Jokowi is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Jokowi is also expected to meet several other leaders, including the prime ministers of Fiji and Poland, the Swiss president, IMF managing director, and Japans Liberal Democratic Party secretary general, to strengthen bilateral relations and international cooperation.

Several state officials accompanying President Jokowi and First Lady Iriana during the visit to China include Minister/State Secretary Pratikno and Head of the Investment Coordinating Board Thomas Lembong. (T/RS5/RS1)

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Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)