Beijing (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to meet with China`s President Xi Jinping early next month, according to Indonesian ambassador to China and Mongolia Imron Cotan.

At a reception to celebrate Indonesia`s 68th independence anniversary here on Tuesday evening, Imron said Xi`s visit would be his first to Indonesia after becoming China`s president in November 2012.

"During the visit they will talk about various developments in the relations between the two countries that have become more solid following the signing of strategic partnership agreements by the two countries` heads of state in April 2005," he said.

Imron noted that relations between the two countries have grown significantly in various fields in the past ten years.

For instance, trade between China and Indonesia has increased from US$26.6 billion in 2009 to US$66.6 billion in 2012.

"China has now become Indonesia`s largest trade partner, and in 2015 trade between the two countries is expected to increase to US$80 billion," he said.

In the field of investment, China`s investment in Indonesia in 2012 was recorded at US$2.2 billion, he added.

The number of Chinese tourists coming to Indonesia has also continued to rise by some 14 percent from 2009, when it was recorded at only 246,000, to almost one million tourists in 2012.

Imron said better relations has not only benefited the two countries, but also the people of the region.

"Moreover, China has now become the largest trade partner of some of the countries in the region. China has become the world`s second largest economic power while Indonesia is ranked 15th," Imron said.

He noted that to deepen relations between the two countries in the future, connections would be improved, not only over land, but also on the sea, he said.

"Land and maritime connectivity between Indonesia and China could boost trade and investment cooperation, as well as relations between peoples in the two countries and in the region," Imron added.

The reception was attended by China`s deputy foreign minister Xie Hangsheng, Indonesia`s director general of micro-,small and medium businesses Meliadi Sembiring and president director of PT Wayang Indonesia Film, Sukmawati, who is the daughter of Indonesia's late first president Soekarno.

Following his speech, ambassador Imron Cotan toasted the guests, including 160 foreign representatives in Beijing, to mark the country's anniversary.

Editor: Suryanto
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