Indonesia, China to enhance defence cooperation

Indonesia and China are working on boosting their defence cooperation, the two countries said as China’s defence minister Cao Gangchuan visited the Southeast Asian nation, a report said Wednesday.

Indonesian defence minister Juwono Sudarsono said he and Cao had looked at ways to bolster their ties, such as in military hardware manufacturing, the Detikcom online news service said.

Cao’s visit is aimed at fleshing out a framework of agreement for a strategic partnership in the defence sector signed in Beijing in 2005, Sudarsono reportedly said.

Sudarsono said that cooperation could involve China assisting Indonesia’s two strategic state enterprises PT Pindad, which produces weapons and other military equipment and the state shipbuilding firm PT PAL.

Such plans still needed approval, he added.

Cao is returning a visit by Sudarsono to China in November.

The Chinese defence minister will stay in the country until January 20.

Jakarta, Wednesday, AFP