It is the right time for Indonesia and China, which Tuesday
celebrated 16 years of their normalized ties, to reflect on what
they have achieved in those years, said a commentary published in
The Jakarta Post newspaper.
Sixteen years ago, then Chinese Prime Minister Li Peng and then
Indonesian President Soeharto stood together at the Merdeka
Palacein Jakarta, watching as their respective foreign ministers
Qian Qichen and Ali Alatas signed an official document marking the
resuming of diplomatic ties between the two countries, which was
suspended in 1967.
"Witnessing the normalization of ties between China and
Indonesia is so far the most unforgettable experience of my career
as a journalist," said the commentary written by senior journalist
Kornelius Purba.
China's economy continues to boom in recent years, the
commentary said, adding that the ASEAN (Association of Southeast
Asian Nations) countries refrained from being too open about their
economic ties with China until 1990.
But now Indonesia is lagging behind other ASEAN members in
benefiting from the Chinese economic miracle, it said.
(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2006)
