President Jokowi to Study China`s One Belt One Road Initiative

Inonesian President Joko Widodo.

Jakarta, 17 Saha’ban 1438/14 May 2017 (MI NA) – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo stated he would study the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative that would be offered by China during his visit to that country from May14-15.

“We will see what the One Belt One Road concept is like, and only after that will we know from where we can join,” he was quoted by Antara News as saying at Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, before leaving for Beijing from here, Saturday afternoon.

Jokowi was accompanied by First Lady Iriana; Pratikno, state secretary; Thomas Lembong, head of Capital Investment Coordinating Board; (BKPM) and Johan Budi, presidential special staff for communication. They are scheduled to attend the Belt and Road Forum summit in Beijing.

President Jokowi affirmed many heads of state and government would be attending the meeting.

“All heads of state, especially from ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), will be attending, including Malaysian Prime Minister Najib (Razak). President (Tayyip) Erdogan (Turkey) will also be there. At least 29 heads of state/government from 50 countries will be there. We have been invited, and so we are going, as we wish to know where the One Belt One Road will lead us to,” he remarked.

The president and his delegation left aboard presidential aircraft Boeing 737-800 BBJ II from Jakartas Halim Perdanakusuma airbase. They were seen off by Wiranto, coordinating minister for political, security and legal affairs; General Syafruddin, deputy police chief commissioner; and General Mochamad Iriawan, Jakarta metropolitan police chief inspector, among others.

President Jokowi is scheduled to speak at two sessions on a synergy policy for closer cooperation and connectivity cooperation for interconnected development.

While in that country the President will also use the opportunity to hold meetings with several heads of state to increase bilateral relations and cooperation, including Chinas president Xi Jinping, Fiji and Poland prime ministers, the Swiss president, the IMF managing director and the secretary-general of Japans Liberal Democratic Party.

Foreign minister Retno Marsudi earlier was in Beijing for ministerial meetings ahead of the summit. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)