Chinese, Indonesian leaders mark 60th anniversary of relations

BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhua) -- President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao exchanged congratulatory messages with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between their countries.

Vice President Xi Jinping and his Indonesian counterpart Boediono also exchanged congratulatory messages on the occasion.

Hu, in his message, said China and Indonesia are friendly neighbors with a long history of amicable people-to-people exchanges. Hu said great headway has been made in bilateral relations during that past 60 years.

The president said the relationship between China and Indonesia has embraced a new phase of fast development after the two countries forged their strategic partnership.

In recent years, political trust has been enhanced between the two countries and bilateral cooperation in such fields as trade and economy, culture and safety have yielded notable achievements, Hu said.

He noted cooperation in energy and resource development, and infrastructure construction, among others, that have become highlights of the countries' bilateral ties.

Hu said China and Indonesia have also kept close coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, which has benefited the two peoples and contributed to peace, stability and development of the region and the world.

Hu said both countries are currently undergoing critical periods in their development, as China is striving to build a well-off society in an all-round way. Indonesia, Hu said, is steadily boosting its reform and development, which produces more chances for bilateral cooperation.

China is willing to strengthen coordination and work closely with Indonesia and seize the chance to carry out the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership and plan of action signed by the two nations.

China also is willing to properly confront various global challenges, ushering in a new phase of bilateral ties featuring equality and mutual benefit, win-win cooperation and common development.

Wen, in his message, said China and Indonesia have witnessed a sound and fast development of their bilateral ties in the past 60 years, and China is willing to take the opportunity of the 60th anniversary of their relations to further cement their traditional friendship and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.

He said Indonesia is a key member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and a key developing country as well. China would like to intensify coordination and cooperation with Indonesia on regional and international issues, in a bid to boost China-ASEAN relations, enhance unity and cooperation among developing countries, and make contributions to build a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity.

Wen also said that he is looking forward to his upcoming official visit to Indonesia, which he said would push good-neighborly and friendly cooperation between the two countries to a new height.