"Indonesia and China already enjoy strong ties in many fields, including in defense," said Zhan Chunli, Director General of the Department and Defense Trade and Foreign Relations of the State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND), here on Monday.
At the second meeting on Indonesia-China defense cooperation, Chunli expressed hope that defense ties between the two countries would be further strengthened in the future.
"This meeting is expected to pave the way for increased cooperation between both sides in the field of defense cooperation," he said, adding that the points discussed and agreed upon in previous bilateral meetings would ensure that happens.
Meanwhile, Indonesia`s Director General for Security Potentials of the Defense Ministry, Pos Hutabara, hailed the national defense industry`s cooperation deal with China.
"China has become one of our strategic partners in the development of our defense industry. We can cooperate in many areas for mutual benefit," Hutabarat said.
Earlier, the Indonesian Defense Ministry and SASTIND agreed on a number of points with regard to cooperation in the defense sector, such as on a joint production scheme, joint development, joint marketing, and transfer of technology.
"Going forward, cooperation under these points of agreement will be further strengthened so the defense industries of both nations will be benefited and bilateral relations will improve," Hutabarat said.
So far, Indonesia's defense industry has joined hands with China's in the development of C-705 guided missiles. Indonesia has also purchased QW3 missiles from China for its special navy forces.
During the second meeting, both sides also presented their respective defense industrial products.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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