China, Indonesia formally launch fast-lane arrangement

BEIJING - China and Indonesia on Thursday formally launched a fast-lane arrangement to facilitate personnel exchanges for the purpose of ensuring epidemic prevention, maintaining the smooth flow of industrial and supply chains, and helping each other's economic recovery.

The arrangement was announced by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi during their meeting for talks in Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County, Hainan.

Indonesian Minister for State-owned Enterprises Erick Thohir also attended the talks.

Noting that Retno is the first foreign minister to visit China in the post-epidemic era, Wang said the joint visit of the two ministers not only shows the importance of Chinese-Indonesian relations, but also marks the resumption of the foreign ministers' offline diplomacy. It sends a clear and positive signal that the two sides are committed to jointly defeating the epidemic and reinvigorating the economy, said Wang.

Noting that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Indonesia, Wang said China stands ready to work with Indonesia to promote greater achievements in bilateral relations. China supports enterprises engaging in all-round cooperation with Indonesia in vaccine research and application.

China is ready to work with ASEAN countries to ensure the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement (RCEP) within this year and an early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, Wang added.

Retno gave Wang a letter from Indonesian President Joko Widodo to Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying that Indonesia fully agrees to maintain good exchanges between the two countries, is willing to ensure the signing of the RCEP by the end of the year, and is committed to working with China to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea.