On April 26, 2005, President Hu Jintao attended the welcome meeting and the luncheon held by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and people from all social circles and delivered an important speech. He indicated that China will insist on walking the road of peaceful development, and pursue the diplomatic guideline "being a good neighbor and a good partner" and the diplomatic policy of "build an amicable, tranquil and prosperous neighborhood". China will actively enhance the friendly exchange and mutually beneficial cooperation with all ASEAN countries including Indonesia so as to contribute to boosting the peace, stability and prosperity of the region and the world at large.

At noon of April 26, around 500 people from the commercial and industrial communities and other social circles of Indonesia gathered in the grand ballroom of the hotel where President Hu stayed to hold a grand welcome meeting for his state visit to Indonesia. Following the addresses by Hidayat, Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Chairman of the Indonesia Chamber of Commerce and Industry-China Committee (KADIN Komite China - KIKC), President Hu Jintao delivered an important speech.

Hu Jintao said that China and Indonesia are friendly neighbors. The people of both countries have witnessed centuries-old history of friendly exchanges. As early as 600 years ago, Zheng He, the Chinese navigator in the ancient Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), sailed up the Atlantic Ocean for seven times and passed through many places including Java several times. To this day many historic stories are still quite well known. In the battles of struggling for national independence, the people of our two countries sympathized with and supported each other. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Indonesia was one of the earliest Southeast Asian countries to establish the diplomatic relationship with China. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 55 years ago, the relationship between the two countries has achieved substantial progress. In recent year in particular, with the joint efforts by the governments and the people of both countries, China-Indonesia relations have stepped into the new period of rapid, healthy and stable development. At the end of last year, Indonesia suffered from the severe calamity of earthquake and tsunami. Recently Indonesia was hit by serious earthquake. We are deeply affected as if we had suffered from it. The Chinese government launched the aiding campaign towards foreign countries, the largest of its kind in the history of China. The Chinese people donated money and materials one after another. It is demonstrated by facts that strengthening the friendly cooperation between two important developing countries in Asia is conducive to practical and long-term interests of both nations and to the peace, stability and prosperity of this region and the world at large.

Hu Jintao said that the Joint Statement on Establishing China-Indonesia Strategic Partnership signed by the leaders of both countries has pointed out the direction for bilateral relationship. The establishment of strategic partnership between China and Indonesia aims at maintaining world peace, enhancing common development, adhering to mutual respect and mutual benefits and interests and comprehensively expanding the exchange and cooperation in various fields. It is a new type of state relationship of nonalignment and non-confrontation that is not targeted at any third party. We are willing to work together with Indonesia to carry forward the Bandung spirit and create a more beautiful future for bilateral relationship under the guidance of new goals.

Hu Jintao briefly introduced the economic and social development since China's reform and opening up. He indicated that the rapid growth of China's economy has brought new development opportunities to all countries in the world, especially the neighboring ones. In recent year, the annual trade volume between China and ASEAN countries has all along maintained a growth rate of nearly 30%. In 2004, the trade volume between the two sides reached US$ 105,9 billion and ASEAN countries obtained a trade surplus of US$ 20 billion. Every year there are millions of Chinese coming to ASEAN countries for travel and business. More and more Chinese enterprises regard ASEAN countries as the first choice for overseas investment and starting business. This year, the establishment of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area has been formally launched, which will certainly bring broader prospects for economic and trade cooperation between the two sides. We are fully confident that the goal that the annual trade volume between China and ASEAN reaches US$ 200 billion before 2010 will be achieved. As a neighbor of ASEAN countries, China has as always attached importance to the relations with ASEAN.

Hidayat, Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) and the Chairman of the Indonesia Chamber of Commerce and Industry-China Committee (KADIN Komite China - KIKC) expressed in their addresses that in the past several years, the cooperation between Indonesia and China in such fields as economy, trade and culture has been developing rapidly. During President Hu's visit to Indonesia, both sides announced the establishment of strategic partnership. Bilateral ties entered the best period in history. President Hu Jintao's visit to Indonesia will enable Indonesia and China to establish more consolidated relations in such fields as trade.

Accompanied by Wang Gang, Member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, President Hu attended the welcome meeting together with Agung, Speaker of the People's Representative Assembly of Indonesia, Aburizal Bakrie, Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs of Indonesia and other members of the Indonesian cabinet.

On the morning of that day, Hu Jintao met with the working staffs of the Chinese embassy in Indonesia and the representatives from the enterprises funded by the Chinese investors and the Chinese news agencies in Indonesia in the hotel where he stayed.