Indonesia is seeking a deeper investment relationship with China as it tries to turn foreign capital into industrial capacity, supply-chain resilience and access to regional and global markets. Investment and Downstream Industry Minister Rosan Roeslani said Chinese companies are being invited not only to invest, but to build production networks, develop talent, advance technology and operate from Indonesia as a manufacturing and commercial base.
The message places industrial partnership at the center of Jakarta's economic strategy. Rosan described the opportunity as substantial and the direction as clear, while presenting China as a cornerstone partner within a broader effort to keep Indonesia's external relationships diversified and resilient.
China already occupies a central position in Indonesia's economic landscape. Rosan said China has been Indonesia's largest trading partner for thirteen consecutive years and remains consistently among the country's top three foreign direct investment partners, giving the relationship weight beyond individual projects or short-term investment cycles.
The partnership has also moved beyond raw commodities. According to the minister's account, cooperation has expanded into mineral downstreaming, electric-vehicle battery supply chains, digital infrastructure and renewable energy, areas that align with Indonesia's ambition to capture more value from its natural resources and industrial zones.
Supply-chain diversification is another major theme. As global companies revise production and sourcing strategies, Rosan said Indonesia and China have room to build more balanced and technology-oriented partnerships in advanced manufacturing, digital infrastructure and future industries. The goal is to position Indonesia as more than a commodity supplier and to connect local firms to wider value chains.
The “Two countries, Twin parks” initiative under the Belt and Road framework is presented as one vehicle for that shift. Rosan said the initiative is moving from concept to implementation by linking investment, manufacturing, logistics, skills development and market access across both countries, creating an integrated industrial ecosystem rather than isolated projects.
Digital transformation is becoming a new front for cooperation. Rosan pointed to artificial intelligence as a driver of demand for data centers, cloud infrastructure, advanced electronics and reliable power supply, while arguing that Indonesia's large digital market, renewable-energy potential, competitive industrial zones and position inside ASEAN give it advantages for participating in that transition.
Regional trade architecture reinforces the strategy. Rosan said the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, in force for Indonesia since 2023, has improved market access, customs procedures, rules of origin and supply-chain connectivity. He also described the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade, signed in October 2025, as a step toward deeper cooperation in the digital economy, green economy, supply-chain resilience, standards and small and medium-sized enterprises.
