ACFTA NOT DISCUSSED IN PRESIDENT-CHINESE MINISTER MEETING

Jakarta, Jan 22 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono received a courtesy call of a senior Chinese minister here Friday but the implementation of the Asean-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) issue was not discussed at the meeting.

The absence of the ACFTA issue in Dai Bingguo's talks with President Yudhoyono was clarified by the president's spokesman for international issues, Dino Patti Djalal.

On Thursday, President Yudhoyono admitted that renegotiating the implementation of ACFTA was needed to prevent the emergence of serious problems in the Indonesian economy.

As of January 2010, the ACFTA is entering the Normal Track (NT) I phase, imposing a zero percent tariff on 7,306 products or 83.61 percent of total tariffs on imported products reaching 8,738 products.

Meanwhile at the meeting with President Yudhoyono here, Dai Bingguo, China's state counselor for political and security affairs, praised Indonesia for its success in maintaining the nation's unity and social cohesion, and its active role in international fora.

Djalal said Dai and President Yudhoyono also agreed to strengthen Jakarta-Beijing's bilateral relations in accordance with the strategic partnership agreement the two countries had signed in 2005.

The head of state told Dai Bingguo that Indonesia's strategic partnership with China was important because the latter was one of the pillars of Asia, Djalal said.

"At the meeting, Dai has praised Indonesia for its success in maintaining the nation's unity, prosperity, social cohesion, and active role in international fora," he said.

About the two countries' plan to promote defense and security cooperations, he said this matter was discussed at a ministerial level, he added.

(T.D013)