Tsinghua Ambassador Talks welcomed Indonesian Ambassador Imron Cotan who gave a speech on Sino-Indonesian relations and their central role in Southeast Asian development.
Relations between Indonesia and China date back to the 5th century, further developing during the Ming Dynasty as a result of Zheng He's travels in Indonesia and much of Southeast Asia. This influence can still be seen through both the large number of Indonesians that currently claim Chinese decent (almost 4% of the current population), through the sharing of culture between the two countries, as well as from the continued importance of Islam to the majority of Indonesians today.
During the talks, Ambassador Cotan emphasized that while Indonesia and China are both the biggest nations in their respective regions (Indonesia is the world's 4th most populous country while China is the 1st), crucial inter-linkages between Southeast Asian countries, as well as those between Indonesia and China, mean that no single country can determine the future of the region. Maintaining strong economic and political cooperation is thus a requirement for increased peace and prosperity and is in the interest of all nations. Indonesia is committed to improving these relationships and is doing so in part via increased trade with China. Bilateral trade between the two countries has during the last three years almost tripled from 26 to 67 billion US dollars and remains an integral feature of the Sino-Indonesian partnership.
Mr. Cotan further highlighted Indonesian and Chinese investment in promoting stability throughout Southeast Asia via their continued participation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (or ASEAN), Indonesia itself being a founding member. ASEAN will have an undeniably critical and positive impact on the further development of Southeast Asia, and Indonesia applauds China on its unfaltering support of ASEAN both through increasing trade (bilateral trade passing the 400 billion US dollar mark as of 2012) as well as China-ASEAN commitment to a nuclear-weapons-free zone in Southeast Asia.
In closing out the talks, Ambassador Cotan responded to questions posed by the audience. Such question-topics included the role of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in Southeast Asia affairs, contemporary Indonesian-Myanmar relations, further Sino-Indonesian cooperation over environmental protection, and Indonesia's potentially moderating influence in mediating disputes within the South China Sea. Overall, Mr. Cotan provided an excellent and positive account of contemporary Indonesian-Chinese relations covering a wide range of economic, political, and historical issues.
