Explainer | China-Indonesia trade: how important is it, and what are the main exports?
- In 2021, bilateral trade between Indonesia and China grew by 58.6 per cent from the previous year to US$124.4 billion
- China has been the biggest export destination for Indonesia for the past six years, especially its mineral resources
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China is Indonesia’s biggest trade partner and a major source of foreign investment, while China relies on Southeast Asia’s largest economy for mineral resources and sees it as a key partner in the Belt and Road Initiative, its globe-spanning trade and infrastructure project.
In 2021, bilateral trade grew by 58.6 per cent from the previous year to US$124.4 billion, with Chinese exports increasing by 48.1 per cent to US$60.7 billion and imports jumping by 70.1 per cent to US$63.8 billion, official Chinese data showed.
Mainland China was the third-largest foreign investor in Indonesia last year – after Singapore and Hong Kong – accounting for 10 per cent of total inward foreign direct investment, according to the country’s Investment Coordinating Board.
What does China import from Indonesia?
China has been the biggest export destination for Indonesia for the past six years.