Yudhoyono - Xi Jinping Attend Business Luncheon Meeting

Jakarta, Oct 3 (Antara) - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping attended a business luncheon meeting with prominent businessmen of the two nations on Thursday. Two hundred Chinese businessmen and officials and 600 Indonesian businessmen and officials were present at the luncheon, said Indonesian Industry Minister MS Hidayat. During the event, President Yudhoyono and President Xi Jinping witnessed the signing of 21 business agreements. The total value of the business agreements was US$28.2 billion for investments in the fields of mineral, pulp, property, railway, infrastructure, and cement, noted Minister MS Hidayat. The agreements would strengthen bilateral economic cooperation between the two nations, he added. Xi Jinping is on a two-day state visit to Jakarta to boost bilateral economic and investment cooperation between the two nations. It is Xi Jinping`s first visit to a Southeast Asian country since he assumed his presidency in March. He will then travel to Malaysia before heading back to the Indonesian resort island of Bali for an APEC meeting. During the bilateral meeting on Wednesday, the two leaders agreed to upgrade the bilateral cooperation of the two countries to comprehensive strategic partnership in various fields. "We have once again made history by agreeing to forge a comprehensive strategic partnership. I believe that under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, we will be able to improve our bilateral cooperation," said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at a joint press conference with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Merdeka Palace here on Wednesday. Yudhoyono said the two countries are committed to increasing bilateral trade to exceed US$51 billion in revenue. China will also open a consulate general in Bali, he stated. Indonesia`s exports to China between January and June 2013 reached US$10.09 billion or 13.5 percent of the country`s total exports. Its imports from China reached US$14.42 billion. Last year, the two-way trade between the two nations exceeded US$50 billion.