Foreign Minister Wang Yi lobbies Jakarta to back 'maritime Silk Road'

China has sought Indonesia's support for creating its "maritime Silk Road" trade routes by the end of next year.

Visiting Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the vision of new Indonesian President Joko Widodo to make Indonesia the world's maritime axis would complement the initiative.

"We very much understand and support the idea put forward by [Widodo] to build Indonesia's maritime economy and bring Indonesia back to be a strong maritime country," Wang told a press conference with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi. Wang is in Indonesia for bilateral talks ahead of next week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit in Beijing.

Wang recalled that plans for the so-called 21st Century Maritime Silk Road were revealed by President Xi Jinping and when he met then-Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last year. Wang said that the ideas of Xi and the current Indonesian leader "are matched".

"We want to participate in the development of Indonesia's maritime economy in accordance with Indonesia's policies and we also consider Indonesia as the most important partner in developing the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road," Wang said.

China introduced a "New Silk Roads" initiative last year to enhance connectivity with neighbouring countries.