As Southeast Asia's largest city, home to ASEAN headquarters and Indonesia's political and economic center, Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, is a city steeped in history, thriving digital and emerging economies, and traditional charm with modern dynamism. On the streets of Jakarta, skyscrapers sit side by side with traditional bungalows, motorcycle drivers (Ojek) recruited by the sharing app platform weave through the streets, and about 10 million residents who are busy for their lives are hurrying on the road. According to the national capital relocation plan announced by Indonesian President Joko Widodo's government in 2019, Jakarta's capital status will be replaced by Nusantara in Kalimantan in 2024. However, Jakarta's importance in politics, economy, business and society in Indonesia and Southeast Asia will not change. Jakarta is home to the headquarters of many e-commerce platforms, startups, digital economy companies around the world, and is the first stop for many Chinese companies to invest in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. In September this year, the 43rd ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Cooperation Leaders' Meeting Series were held in Jakarta. On September 6, Premier Li Qiang, who is visiting Indonesia, inspected the Sino-Indonesian cooperation project and the Yawan high-speed railway connecting Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, with the tourist city of Bandung, which is the first high-speed railway in Indonesia and a landmark project for the construction of the "Belt and Road" and practical cooperation between China and Indonesia.
On September 13, Indonesian President Joko Widodo took a test ride on the Yawan high-speed railway, accompanied by a number of cabinet ministers and invited by dozens of local public figures and journalists. President Jokowi said in an interview that China's high-speed rail construction is rich and technologically advanced, and the Yawan high-speed railway is fast, quiet and stable, and hopes that the opening of the high-speed rail will reduce traffic congestion and pollution in Jakarta and promote the Indonesian people to change their travel mode. Driving through the congested Jakarta, the surging news (www.thepaper.cn) reporter came to the Jakarta City Hall located south of the National Independence Square. The office of the Governor of Jakarta SAR was built in the early 19th century and its architectural style combines European classicism with Southeast Asian tropics; The office building on the side was built in the 70s during Indonesia's booming economy and is considered a model of high-rise buildings in Jakarta at that time. In May, at Jakarta City Hall, Heru Budi Hartono, Jakarta's acting governor and director of the Office of Presidential Affairs, was interviewed by The Paper. Heru told The Paper that although Indonesia is starting to move the capital, Jakarta will remain a hub city and economic city connected to the world. In his speech at Indonesia's National Day celebration on August 17 this year, Heru also mentioned that Jakarta is still the focus of attention in the 2024 national election, reflecting the country's political situation. But regardless of the outcome of the 2024 election, Heru believes that bilateral relations between Indonesia and China, including between Jakarta and Shanghai, will not be limited to a specific leader. Relations between Indonesia and China are expected to continue to develop well.
The following is the transcript of Governor Khrudai's interview with The Paper. Towards an international city surging news: Indonesia's capital relocation plan has attracted worldwide attention. You have said that after moving the capital, Jakarta will become a "global city" and an economic city. How do you explain Jakarta's urban positioning after moving its capital? HRU: From Jakarta to Kalimantan, the central government's plan to move the capital needs to be supported by the Jakarta SAR government. Jakarta has a long history, infrastructure and other facilities that are in line with international standards. Therefore, Jakarta's future positioning is to become an international city. Jakarta has well-developed infrastructure such as roads and railway-based transportation, including trains managed by the central government, metros managed by the Jakarta SAR government, and light rail managed by the central and local governments. The development of these means of transport should continue, expand and extend so that Jakarta's status as a global city, a commercial city, an investment city and a tourist city can be secured. With this, Jakarta can remain alive even if it is no longer the capital. Jakarta and the surrounding areas such as Bekasi, Debock and southern Tangerang make up the Greater Jakarta region, where economic and financial activities are interlinked. For now, Jakarta remains the hub of activity in the surrounding area. In planning future policies, the Greater Jakarta region has formed a whole. The Paper: Earlier, Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng visited Indonesia and met with you. How can cooperation between China and Indonesia, and cooperation between Shanghai and Jakarta help Jakarta? Khru: Jakarta should really learn from Shanghai. Shanghai has a faster economic growth, more modern transportation, and more experience in building high-rise buildings and protecting the natural environment such as rivers. To take another small example, Shanghai has a policy in outdoor advertising, which displays many billboards in some important places at night, which provides tax revenue for Shanghai. Jakarta should learn its rules and regulations. On issues such as rail traffic, Jakarta should also emulate some of Shanghai's advantages.
The Satellite City Effect: In your opinion, strengthening infrastructure construction is the focus of Jakarta's urban positioning transformation. Why? In what sense will the Yawan high-speed rail contribute to the process of infrastructure construction and urban transformation in Jakarta and Indonesia? Hru: The Yawan high-speed rail is Indonesia's first high-speed rail project. The next plan is to extend the high-speed rail, which could be Jakarta-Bandung-Surabaya or Surabaya-Bandung-Jakarta. With the opening of the Jakarta and Bandung direct high-speed rail, people will not be limited to city boundaries in the future. Before there was no high-speed rail, it took at least 2 hours by transport to travel from Jakarta to Bandung, and only about 1 hour if you took high-speed rail. It also means that people can live in Bandung but work in Jakarta, or live in Jakarta but work in Bandung, as in Japan, South Korea, most cities in China, and some European cities. This is a win-win effect brought about by high-speed rail. In addition to Jakarta and Bandung, there are also cities along the route, such as Karawang and Puvakarta, which may become new satellite cities with easy accessibility. If Puwakarta could go directly to Bandung and Jakarta, it would be possible to work in Jakarta but live in Puwakarta or Bandung so that people could get to their destinations faster. This is a breakthrough and I think it will change the social structure, especially for the residents of Jakarta, West Java and Bandung areas. The Paper: Luhut, the leader and coordinating minister of Indonesia's cooperation with China, once said that the Yawan high-speed railway is also a gift for Indonesia to commemorate the 78th anniversary of national independence. How do you understand? What is the significance of infrastructure development for Indonesia to pursue its own development path? Heru: The construction of the Yawan high-speed railway has been going on for several years and is progressing smoothly. The project involves not only the Yawan high-speed railway company and the local government, but also the cooperation between the Jakarta SAR, the West Java provincial government and the central government. At present, the progress of the work has been basically completed, and only some finishing is needed, such as improving the facilities of the station. The current President Jokowi has a busy schedule, but no matter what month it is, if we witness the opening of the Yawan high-speed railway, it will be a special gift for Indonesia on the 78th anniversary of independence. Indonesia will have one more mode of transportation and one more high-speed rail line.
Relationship in the long run: Around the Yawan high-speed railway, there have been some doubts inside and outside Indonesia, such as project progress, budget overruns, loan interest rates and other topics. What do you think of these voices? Heru: The increase in the cost of the project may be related to the conditions on the ground. Factors such as the height of the route need to be adjusted according to the actual situation, which will bring about an increase in cost, but it is within a reasonable range. With the development of the project, the Yawan high-speed railway also needs to be connected with other modes of transportation (such as light rail, subway, road, etc.). Such adjustments are necessary and made in order to meet the needs of society. The Paper: This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Indonesia, and also the "first year" of jointly building a community with a shared future between China and Indonesia. Looking back, what do you think is shining in China-Indonesia cooperation? Looking ahead, especially when Indonesia holds a presidential election and a change of government in 2024, what are the prospects for China-Indonesia cooperation? HHRU: The bilateral relationship between Indonesia and China, including between Jakarta and Shanghai, is not limited to a specific leader. This cooperation lasts for 10 years and is a lasting cooperation between governments. The key question is not who will lead it, but whether the relevant construction plans are in line with each other, whether they are to benefit the people, whether they are to promote economic growth, whether they are conducive to social and economic stability, and whether they can accelerate development. The goal of cooperation projects such as the Belt and Road Initiative is to promote economic growth, make the distribution of goods and services easier and faster, and make communication better. The established blueprint has been confirmed under the current Government. In that sense, I don't think it will be related to the 2024 presidential election. Relations between Indonesia and China are expected to continue to develop well.