RI, China agree to develop defense industry jointly

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and China have agreed to develop defense industry jointly as a follow up to the strategic partnership agreement in the defense field signed in November last year, a minister said.

"The joint industry we will develop will mainly produce aircraft and transport vehicles," Indonesian Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said after receiving his Chinese counterpart, Gen Cao Gangchu, at his office here on Wednesday.

Juwono said the development of the joint defense industry would involve the two countries` state-owned strategic defense industries.

He said the two governments agreed to jointly finance the development of the defense industry.

"Where the joint financing is concerned, the Finance Ministry and the National Development Board in the two countries still need to discuss it in detail," he said.

Meanwhile, Gen Cao Gangchu said his Indonesian visit was aimed at strengthening defense cooperation between the two nations based on mutual understanding and partnership.

"So far, cooperation between the two nations has been running well and we have agreed to enhance the existing good cooperation at all levels of cooperation in the future," Gangchu said.

He expressed belief that the two nations could enhance defense cooperation covering joint exercises and exchange of ranking officers` and non-commissioned officers` visits.

Indonesia and China also agreed to develop technical cooperation, hold joint exercises, education and training and military operations as well as to exchange military doctrines.

The two armed forces also had agreed to form a joint cooperation committee. The secretary general of the Defense Ministry, the Indonesian defense forces (TNI) chief and the TNI`s chief of staff for general affairs are expected to discuss indepth technical cooperation between the two armed forces in the proposed committee.

In the 2007-2008 budget year, the Chinese government had offered 21 kinds of education and training and courses for 23 officers from Indonesia.

The Indonesia-China strategic partnership also covered the economic field. Indonesia is the largest economy in ASEAN, and China is Indonesia`s fourth biggest trade partner.

Two-way trade has reached a value of US$16.7 billion, and was expected to surpass US$30 billion in 2010.

Following his meeting with Juwono, the Chinese defense minister was expected to pay courtesy calls on Vice President Jusuf Kalla and the commander of the Army`s special elite force (Kopassus).