Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to push forward cooperation on major infrastructure projects, including a giant sea wall and a high-speed railway, during a bilateral meeting in Beijing this week, officials said.
Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono said the meeting between Prabowo and Xi on Wednesday focused on Indonesia’s future development agenda.
He delivered the update after a limited cabinet meeting at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Thursday.
“One of the issues discussed with President Xi Jinping was cooperation in building future infrastructure, including the Giant Sea Wall and the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed railway,” Yudhoyono told reporters.
He said President Prabowo would soon call a special session with ministers to discuss financing and technical details.
“I will directly oversee both projects and request a specific time for a meeting with related ministries,” he added.
The Indonesian government has highlighted the sea wall as a priority program to protect coastal areas, including Jakarta, from rising sea levels and tidal floods caused by climate change.
Earlier, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said Indonesia had offered investment opportunities in the sea wall to several countries, including China, South Korea, Japan and European nations.
Officials said the sea wall, estimated to cost USD80 billion, would be developed in several phases with funding based on a public-private partnership model.
The government plans to combine state budget allocations, private sector contributions and international cooperation.
Prabowo was in Beijing at Xi’s invitation to attend the 80th anniversary of Victory Day on September 3. During the meeting, both leaders emphasized infrastructure cooperation as a key part of bilateral ties.
The Jakarta-Surabaya rail line, if completed, would expand China's first overseas high-speed railway project from Jakarta to Bandung, which began service in 2023.
