Beijing (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and China agreed on Tuesday to maintain security stability and peace in the region.

Coordinating Minister for Security, law and political affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan said Indonesian and Chinese delegation discussed wide ranging issues about security and political stability in the region in an hour long dialog here on Tuesday.

Luhut headed the Indonesian delegation in the fifth dialogs between the two countries on political affairs, law and security facing the Chinese delegation headed by Yang Jiechi, a member of the State Council.

Luhut, accompanied by Indonesian Ambassador for China and Mongolia Soegeng Rahardjo, said cooperation between the two most populous countries in the western rim of the Pacific should be fostered on mutual respect and for mutual benefit.

"We want maritime cooperation such as in dealing with transnational crimes for mutual benefit," he said.

Meanwhile, Yang Jiechi, accompanied by Chinese deputy foreign minister Liu Zhemin, described the dialog as productive.

"This is the first dialog (between the two countries after the change in the Indonesian government. It is expected that the dialog would produce something positive for the two countries," he said.

He said the two sides could exchange views on security, law and political affairs in the two countries and the region that the two countries could push for more dynamic strategic cooperation in the future.

The bilateral dialog constituted an implementation of a point in the joint declaration of strategic partnership between the two countries signed on 25 April 2005.

After the dialog, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on Grant Agreement between the Indonesian National Agency for Disaster Control(BNPB) and the Chinese foreign ministry to control forest fires.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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