Indonesia says China has pledged $21B in new investment to strengthen ties

By NINIEK KARMINI
Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Visiting Chinese Premier Li Qiang has pledged $21.7 billion in new Chinese investment in Indonesia to strengthen the countries’ economic and political ties. Li arrived in Jakarta on Tuesday to attend the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and meet with Indonesian leaders. President Joko Widodo hosted Li at the Merdeka palace on Friday and discussed ways to expand trade and investment. He sought China’s help in plans to move Indonesia’s capital from congested and polluted Jakarta on the main island of Java to Nusantara on Borneo island. After the meeting, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi announced the new Chinese investment pledge, which follows a previous $44.89 billion investment commitment made when Widodo met Chinese President Xi Jinping in July.