On April 13, 2010, President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao exchanged congratulatory messages with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono respectively to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between their countries. Vice President Xi Jinping and his Indonesian counterpart Boediono also exchanged congratulatory messages on the occasion.
Hu, in his message, said China and Indonesia are friendly neighbors with a long history of amicable people-to-people exchanges. Hu said great headway has been made in bilateral relations during that past 60 years. The president said the relationship between China and Indonesia has embraced a new phase of fast development after the two countries forged their strategic partnership. In recent years, political trust has been enhanced between the two countries and bilateral cooperation in such fields as trade and economy, culture and security has yielded notable achievements, Hu said. He noted cooperation in energy and resource development, and infrastructure construction, among others, that has become highlights of the countries' bilateral ties. Hu said China and Indonesia have also kept close coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, which has benefited the two peoples and contributed to peace, stability and development of the region and the world.
Hu said both countries are currently undergoing critical periods in their development, as China is striving to build a well-off society in an all-round way. Indonesia, Hu said, is steadily boosting its reform and development, which produces more chances for bilateral cooperation. China is willing to strengthen coordination and work closely with Indonesia and seize the chance to carry out the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership and plan of action signed by the two nations. China also is willing to properly confront various global challenges, ushering in a new phase of bilateral ties featuring equality and mutual benefit, win-win cooperation and common development.
Wen, in his message, said China and Indonesia have witnessed a substantial development of their bilateral ties in the past 60 years, and China is willing to take the opportunity of the 60th anniversary of their relations to further cement their traditional friendship and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.
He said Indonesia is a key member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and a key developing country as well. China would like to intensify coordination and cooperation with Indonesia on regional and international issues, in a bid to boost China-ASEAN relations, enhance unity and cooperation among developing countries, and make contributions to build a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity.
Wen also said that he is looking forward to his upcoming official visit to Indonesia, which he said would push good-neighborly and friendly cooperation between the two countries to a new height.
Xi said in his message that relations between China and Indonesia have become more and more mature since they established diplomatic ties 60 years ago. He said facts have proved that the development of friendly relations serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples and is conducive to peace and development of this region and the whole world. Xi called upon both countries to take the opportunity of the anniversary to boost their bilateral strategic partnership to continue to achieve fruitful results.
Susilo, for his part, said he was encouraged by the continuous consolidation of friendship and cooperation between Indonesia and China through the years. Bilateral cooperation has been raised to a higher level after the two signed the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership in April 2005. Bilateral cooperation in development has provided great help for Indonesia, he said, citing the joint Suramadu Bridge project, which linked Indonesia's East Java Province and Madura Island and was completed in 2009. Susilo said both countries have announced 2010 as the Indonesia-China friendship year, which would inject fresh vigor to the two countries and bring greater benefits to both peoples.
He hopes the bilateral strategic partnership could yield more achievements and said his country is dedicated to intensifying ties with China on regional and international levels. That, he said, would not only benefit the two peoples but would also help the international community cope with and overcome current global issues.
Susilo also believed that Indonesia and China will jointly make great contributions to solving the serious problems facing humanity.
On the same day, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi also exchanged congratulatory messages with his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa.