Editor’s Note: April 13, 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Indonesia, which have been boosted by presidential visits. China Daily has conducted interviews on visits of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Belt and Road Initiative Xi raised partly during his 2013 visit.

Cooperation with China has helped Indonesia in its efforts to emerge as “a new powerhouse” that promotes stability in a multipolar world, a former Indonesian diplomat and parliamentarian said in an interview with China Daily.

The warm relations between the two since Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Indonesia in October 2013 have helped both countries on the world stage and in domestic development, said Tantowi Yahya, then vice-chairman of the House commission in charge of foreign affairs.

According to Tantowi, China is “a good partner” for development, especially in business and the economy.

“Cooperation with China is our future,” he said. “When you mention China right now, you cannot get rid of the image of technology, economy, IT, AI… like that's all about China”.

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He said Indonesia needs to learn from China, especially in the field of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. “There is no other good teacher right now than China.”

International relations have changed in the past few years, with the emergence of several major powers, and are no longer dominated by the West. But Tantowi noted that Indonesia remains non-aligned and has good relations with all major powers. 

“Indonesia, especially under President Prabowo (Subianto), will serve as a new powerhouse that can hopefully stabilize the world. This is Indonesia that is a friend to each and every one and can spread the spirit of peace and prosperity to everybody in the world,” Tantowi said. 

Prabowo, who was inaugurated as president in October 2024, vowed to continue his country’s independent and active foreign policy during his term. Prabowo said that Indonesia will not join any military pacts and will “choose the path of friendship with all countries”.

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“I fully support the concept of (Indonesia’s) current government not to take sides ... so Indonesia is trying very hard to be friends with all (powers) in the world,” said Tantowi, also former Indonesian ambassador to New Zealand. 

Tantowi said that Indonesia and China share “many things in common”, which should be capitalized on so that the two countries can shape a future that benefits people at large.

On Oct 3, 2013, Tantowi, sitting in the second row in the Indonesia’s parliament, had the opportunity to witness President Xi deliver his speech before a special joint session of parliamentarians, an unprecedented move for Indonesia.

Tantowi, who had been keen to learn more about Xi’s views on China-Indonesia relations, said, “I was very proud and I was very fortunate to be one of the few Indonesians who had a chance to see that historic moment.”

Tantowi recalled  that he was pleasantly surprised to see Xi for the first time, noting that “he was very tall, much taller than what I thought. And he had a very beautiful smile”.

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“He was very friendly”, and waved his hand to everybody on his way to the stage, he said. “We can never forget this beautiful smile.” 

During that day’s speech, President Xi proposed jointly building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road along sea routes that have borne goods and friendship among people from different countries for many centuries. Xi had just raised the Silk Road Economic Belt on Sept 7 in Kazakhstan. Together the two parts became the Belt and Road Initiative, originally also titled as “one belt one road”.

Apart from the Maritime Silk Road, Tantowi said what he most remembered about Xi’s speech was China’s interest in offering scholarships to Indonesian youth who wish to study in China.

He specifically recalled Xi stressing the importance of having young people from Indonesia to study in China, offering scholarships to students and inviting young people to visit China every year.

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Such scholarships and exchanges of students, he said, can “help build bridges between the two countries and also would create much better understanding between people of these countries”.

In Indonesia, people at the grassroots level should be made to understand more and appreciate the efforts made by the two countries to help them prosper, Tantowi said.

“China is growing so fast and it will keep on playing an important role in all aspects of the world, in politics, in business, in education right now and probably, in the very near future, in environment,” he added.

Leonardus Jegho in Jakarta contributed to this report. Contact the writers at prime@chinadailyapac.com