People-to-people exchanges are strong between China and Indonesia

 A major industry in Indonesia, tourism has attracted Chinese visitors for years, and in 2016 and 2017 Chinese tourists made up the largest group of overseas visitors to the Southeast Asian nation.

During a meeting with Indonesia's First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo on Tuesday in Beijing, Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, remarked that Indonesia is now the second most popular destination for Chinese tourists.

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The Chinese and Indonesian people have enjoyed a long-standing friendship, and both countries have witnessed robust people-to-people exchanges in recent years, Peng told Iriana at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, where Iriana accompanied Indonesian President Joko Widodo during his two-day visit to China.

In 2017, more than 14.95 percent of all international visitors to Indonesia came from the Chinese mainland, according to data from the country's Statistics Bureau Agency. This equated to more than 2.05 million Chinese tourists. Not surprisingly, the majority of international visitors to Bali, Indonesia, were Chinese.

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On Tuesday, Iriana expressed her desire for a long-lasting friendship between Indonesia and China by welcoming more Chinese tourists to visit the country.

Since 2015, visitors from China have been able to enter Indonesia without a visa and stay for up to 30 days.

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People-to-people encounters, joint political and economic initiatives, and joint maritime projects are all part of China and Indonesia's lauded "four-pillar cooperation," which has produced fresh synergy between the two countries in recent years.

Peng and Iriana spent their Tuesday evening taking in concerts by China Conservatory of Music students and faculty. Peng provided a comprehensive overview of the development and performance practices of classical Chinese instruments.

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Iriana, who was fascinated by the performances, said how moving it was to see young Chinese musicians playing Indonesian music.

According to Peng, music may break down barriers, unite strangers, and spread goodwill. She said that she hoped increased cultural exchanges would help strengthen ties between the two nations.

In a joint statement, China and Indonesia promised to establish more direct flights, increase cooperation in areas like education, tourism, youth and local exchanges, and speed up the return of Indonesian students to China.