Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Saturday put forward a four-point proposal for the widening of trade and economic cooperation between China and Indonesia.

While meeting with businessmen from both countries, Wen proposed enlargement of the scale of bilateral trade, step up bilateral cooperation in infrastructure construction, promote mutual investments and intensify multilateral trade and economic cooperation.

JOINT EFFORTS TO BOOST BILATERAL TRADE

Firstly, the two sides need to enlarge the scale of bilateral trade, said Wen. Both China and Indonesia are populous countries and promising markets, which mean a huge potential for bilateral trade.

The two countries should further promote trade facilitation, expand trade of bulk commodities, large-scale mechanical and electrical products and products of high added value, and optimize the mix of two-way trade, he said.

"China does not pursue a trade surplus and is willing to increase imports from Indonesia so as to promote sound, balanced and sustainable development of bilateral trade," Wen said.

The premier also hoped Indonesian companies can make the best of the China-ASEAN Expo and the China Import and Export Fair to further promote their products and expand their market shares on the Chinese market.

COOPERATION IN INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION

Secondly, China and Indonesia should shore up their cooperation in infrastructure construction, said the Chinese premier.

China encourages its enterprises to take an active part in Indonesia's infrastructure construction projects, particularly in areas like roads, bridges, ports, power stations and telecommunications, he said.

In a bid to deepen bilateral cooperation in infrastructure construction, Wen said that the Chinese government has decided to provide an additional 1 billion U.S. dollars of preferential export buyer's credit to Indonesia.

Meanwhile, China will also encourage financial institutions to provide financial support for full-fledged cooperation projects between the two sides.

Wen hoped both sides can accelerate the implementation of the endorsed projects involving the preferential export buyer's credit, and make the best of the money.

PROMOTION OF MUTUAL INVESTMENTS

"Thirdly, China and Indonesia should enhance two-way investments," said Wen.

The Chinese government, as always, encourages Indonesian enterprises to seek investment opportunities in China, he said.

The Chinese government also encourages well-established Chinese enterprises to promote investment in Indonesia, especially in agriculture, fisheries, tourism, manufacturing, energy and resources, he added.

Wen said building a China-Indonesia trade and economic cooperation zone is an effective way to strengthen two-way investment and bilateral cooperation.

Noting that Indonesia is currently developing six economic corridors and several special economic zones, Wen said the Chinese government encourages its enterprises to study the feasibility of taking part in the development of these projects. He expressed the hope that Indonesia could provide policy support to facilitate investment by Chinese enterprises in Indonesia.

PROMOTION OF MULTILATERAL ECONOMIC AND TRADE LINKS

Fourthly, the two nations need to intensify multilateral trade cooperation, Wen said.

China highly values the role of Indonesia in international and regional affairs as the country is an important member of the G20 and the Next Eleven, Wen said.

China is ready to work with Indonesia to promote the development of trade and economic relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), promote mutually beneficial cooperation among developing countries and oppose trade protectionism, the premier said.

The China-ASEAN free trade area is a community of common interests thanks to years of concerted efforts between China and ASEAN countries. It has been proven to be an example of reciprocality and mutual benefit, Wen said.

He urged companies from both countries to make the most of the preferential policies of the China-ASEAN free trade area.

China and Indonesia are both major developing countries in Asia. Strengthening bilateral economic and trade cooperation is not only in the fundamental interests of the two countries, but also conducive to regional peace, stability and development, said the Chinese premier.

He urged entrepreneurs of the two countries to take the opportunity and work together with determination and courage for the deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

China and Indonesia are good neighbors and strategic partners and their relations have entered a new stage of development, said Wen.

Bilateral trade and mutual investments have grown rapidly, cooperation in infrastructure construction has made strides, cooperation in finance has been on the upswing, and inter-regional and people-to-people exchanges have been on the rise, bringing substantial benefits to both peoples, Wen said.

The premier said that his visit was aimed at mapping out the future and deepening cooperation as well as boosting mutual understanding and friendship.

Indonesian Vice President Boediono, who also attended the forum with business leaders, said China-Indonesia economic and trade cooperation, which has enjoyed rapid development, has broad prospects.

China's development has brought about rare development opportunities for its neighbors, including Indonesia, said the vice president. China's development is conducive to the promotion of regional peace, stability and prosperity, he added.

The premier arrived in Jakarta from Malaysia on Thursday evening. During his official visit to Indonesia, he agreed with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono that the two countries would seek to bring annual trade between China and Indonesia to 80 billion U.S. dollars by 2015.

According to the Chinese premier, trade between China and Indonesia rose to a record high of 74.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2010.