China, Indonesia seal $10 billion in deals focused on green energy and tech

BEIJING (Reuters) : China and Indonesia signed deals worth $10 billion at the Indonesia-China Business Forum in Beijing on Sunday, spanning sectors including food, new energy, technology, and biotechnology, Chinese state media reported.

The forum followed a meeting on Saturday between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who is in China through Nov. 10, the first country he has visited since taking office last month.

Prabowo, who won Indonesia’s presidential election in February, also chose China as the first country to visit as president-elect, underscoring Jakarta’s commitment to strengthening its strategic ties with Beijing.

In a joint statement issued after the leaders’ meeting, the two countries agreed to enhance collaboration in sectors such as new energy vehicles, lithium batteries, photovoltaics, and the digital economy.

They also pledged to strengthen the global energy transition partnership and jointly ensure the security of global mineral supply and industrial chains, the statement said.

On Sunday, Chinese battery materials producer GEM signed a deal with PT Vale Indonesia to build a high-pressure acid leaching plant in Central Sulawesi, partly to secure nickel resources, a Shenzhen filing showed. Prabowo witnessed the signing.

The decision – which shocked the energy sector ordered Shell to reduce its carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 from 2019 levels.

The joint statement showed that the two countries will introduce visa measures, including multi-entry long-term visas, and encourage more direct flights and destinations based on demand,

Other cooperation agreements signed during Prabowo’s visit include collaborations in housing and the export of fresh coconuts from Indonesia to China.