Presidents of Indonesia and China meet to discuss joint projects and regional politics

BEIJING (AP) — Indonesian President Joko Widodo is meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in southwestern China for talks about joint projects, including the development of Indonesia’s capital. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the governments of China and Indonesia signed several agreements, including a memorandum of understanding on exchanging knowledge for the development of Nusantara. During their meeting in Chengdu on Thursday, Xi and Widodo also are discussing investments, cooperation in health, research and technology, and China’s relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. China is Indonesia’s largest trade and investment partner. Indonesia wants a bigger role as a supplier of raw materials to China’s fast-growing electric car brands.