Indonesian president formally invites Xi to G20 Summit

Beijing, Jul 26 (EFE).- Indonesian President Joko Widodo met Tuesday in Beijing with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and formally invited him to attend the G20 Summit to be held in November in Bali.

A statement published by China’s foreign ministry said the leaders held a meeting in a “cordial and friendly” environment in which China supported Indonesia “as a good host of the G20” without specifying on Xi’s presence at the summit, on what would be his first trip abroad since the start of the pandemic.

Widodo also had time to meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on his two-day visit to China that started Monday.

Among the issues discussed, international and regional issues of common interest stand out, in which they are willing to work together to “maintain peace” as well as with the aim of “strengthening multilateralism,” the statement reads.

The countries said they would resume exchanges between people, which would include Indonesian students, who have been unable to return to China since the start of the pandemic.

“The two sides will strengthen cooperation in joint research and development and production of vaccines and genes to help Indonesia build a regional vaccine center,” the statement added.

Xi invited his Indonesian counterpart for a trip to China, an unusual visit by a foreign leader under the country’s strict Covid-19 protocols.

Widodo is one of the few foreign leaders to visit China during the pandemic and the first since several attended February’s opening Winter Olympics ceremony in Beijing earlier this year. EFE

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