China, Indonesia Hold First Meeting of Foreign and Defense Ministers

China and Indonesia held their first-ever Joint Foreign and Defense Ministerial Dialogue in Beijing on Monday, marking a new step in strengthening their strategic bilateral ties.

The talks brought together China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun with their Indonesian counterparts, Foreign Minister Sugiono and Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin. The meeting, also referred to as the “2+2” dialogue, represents the first of its kind between China and any foreign nation.

“This meeting reflects the high level of strategic mutual trust between our two countries,” Wang Yi said. He added that the dialogue will “enrich the China-Indonesia community with a shared future” and contribute to shaping regional and global stability.

The dialogue builds on momentum from two previous meetings between the Chinese and Indonesian heads of state over the past year. According to Wang, the newly launched mechanism was created under the “personal attention” of the two leaders, who jointly charted a path for the future of bilateral ties.

China’s Defense Minister Dong Jun described the meeting as a step toward “deeper strategic mutual trust” and a “stronger foundation” for addressing shared challenges. He called for a new pattern of defense and security cooperation featuring more robust coordination and institutional frameworks.

Indonesia's Foreign Minister Sugiono echoed those views, expressing Jakarta's intent to deepen exchanges at all levels and strengthen multilateral cooperation. “Indonesia is willing to work with China to further enhance political mutual trust,” Sugiono said.

Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Indonesia’s Minister of Defense, emphasized the importance of national sovereignty and territorial integrity in the context of the growing partnership. “Indonesia views this forum as a strategic platform to strengthen communication, mutual understanding, and trust,” he said, while reaffirming his country’s commitment to defense cooperation in support of regional peace and stability.

In a joint statement following the talks, both countries confirmed their intention to expand collaboration in the defense industry, increase high-level military exchanges, and explore new forms of practical cooperation including joint training. Maritime security was highlighted as a key area of focus.

The Chinese military confirmed that both sides signed a series of documents during the talks, including cooperation agreements in maritime security and a memorandum of understanding to launch a comprehensive strategic dialogue mechanism between the two governments.

Both parties also held in-depth discussions on international and regional issues of common concern. Indonesia’s defense ministry described the dialogue as “open, constructive, and respectful,” with both sides agreeing to continue working toward reinforcing bilateral defense ties to support national resilience and regional peace.