Indonesia hails ‘strong’ ties with China as Hong Kong’s CY Leung lauds ‘steady hands’

Indonesia is ready to build on its “strong relationship” with mainland China, its top economic minister has said, while Beijing is committed to upholding fairness and stability amid global uncertainty, according to Hong Kong’s former leader Leung Chun-ying.

Airlangga Hartarto and Leung were speaking on Tuesday at the South China Morning Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia 2026, held in Jakarta.

Leung, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the country’s top political advisory body, said China opposed unilateralism and protectionism, defended the multilateral trading system, and remained committed to strengthening the authority of the United Nations despite aberrations.

“China steadfastly adheres to its position of safeguarding international fairness and justice and to its commitment to building a community with a shared future for humanity,” he said during his keynote address.

“It continues to be a source of economic growth, a pair of steady hands and much-needed certainty in this period of unpredictability and volatility. Global solidarity is the only right choice.”

He said that although Southeast Asia was a diverse region, it shared common values of humanity that mainland China and Hong Kong championed and had proved its resilience amid the turbulence of the past year.