RI, CHINA DISCUSS IMPROVEMENT OF BILATERAL RELATIONS

Beijing, June 18 (ANTARA) - Indonesia and China have discussed efforts to step up their bilateral relations in various sectors.

"The two countries have agreed to continue improving bilateral relations which have run better so far," Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry's Director General for Asia-Pacific and Africa Hamzah Thayeb said here on Thursday.

Hamzah Thayeb made the statement after making courtesy calls on Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Wang Guangya and Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhnegyue.

He said they also discussed steps the two countries had to take to further improve their bilateral relations in the framework of the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

In the discussion, Hamzah Thayeb said, they also agreed to step up better cooperation between the governments and peoples of the two countries.

"Inter-governmental cooperation is already running well and now the important thing is to step up relations between the peoples of the two countries," Hamzah Thayeb said.

He added that they also agreed on the need of improving the relations between the peoples of the two countries because of their long-standing historical ties.

Hamzah Thayeb said the holding of an "Indonesia Week 2009" in Wangfujing, Beijing, from June 17-21, 2009 was part of Indonesia's efforts to step up interaction between the two countries' peoples.

"Through such events, the people of China will be able to understand the life of Indonesian people," he said, adding that they also discussed the realization of the extradition agreement between the two countries which had been postponed several times.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Ambassador to China Sudrajat said here on Wednesday that the Indonesia Week 2009 was a good momentum in the improvement of economic, political, social, and cultural relations between Indonesia and China.

"The Indonesia Week 2009 is a good momentum for social culture, political, and economic revival and for strategic partnership between Indonesia and China," Sudrajat said.

He said the effort to introduce and promote Indonesia's culture, tourism, investment, and trade potentials to international community through the event was expected to reach an optimum result.