The foreign and defense ministers of Indonesia and China met on Monday in Beijing. They confirmed the importance of multilateralism amid intensifying trade friction between the US and China.



The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Sugiono and Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin from the Indonesian side. Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Defense Minister Dong Jun took part for the Chinese side.



After the meeting, Wang Yi said that China and Indonesia are major trading partners. He emphasized that they should stay committed to openness and inclusiveness, and added that abusing tariffs will seriously undermine the normal trade exchanges between countries.



At a joint press conference, Sugiono also said that they will maintain close collaboration within BRICS, G20, and the United Nations to promote multilateralism and inclusive global cooperation.



Both nations also agreed to strengthen cooperation in the maritime field.



China is at loggerheads with countries in Southeast Asia due to its maritime activities in the South China Sea.



But last November, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed that maritime cooperation is an important component of their comprehensive strategic partnership.