Top Chinese leaders on Friday sent congratulatory messages to Indonesian leaders on the occasion of the 56th Anniversary of the Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia.
In a message to his Indonesian counterpart Megawati Soekarnoputri, Chinese President Jiang Zemin said China and Indonesia are friendly neighboring countries and the friendship between the two peoples dates back to ancient times.
Jiang said over the recent years, with the concerted efforts of both sides, the friendly exchange and cooperation in political, economic, trade and other fields between the two countries have achieved great progress.
He recalled that at the turn of the century, China and Indonesia signed the Joint Statement on the Future Directions of Bilateral Cooperation, which points out the orientation of the long-term development of the Sino-Indonesian relations.
Jiang also expressed his willingness to join hands with Megawati in exerting unremitting efforts for the continuous promotion of the relationship of good-neighborliness, mutual trust and all-round cooperation between China and Indonesia.
In his message to the Indonesian president, Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji said that it has been an established long-term policy of the Chinese Government to strengthen the friendly relationship of good neighborliness and cooperation with Indonesia.
The friendly exchange and cooperation in political, economic, trade and other fields between China and Indonesia have been taking on a good momentum of development over the recent years, said Premier Zhu.
Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan also sent congratulations to his Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirayuda on the occasion.
(Xinhua News Agency 08/17/2001)
