Indonesia and China held their inaugural Senior Officials’ Meeting of the Joint Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue (2+2 SOM) in Jakarta on August 13, 2024. The meeting, co-chaired by Abdul Kadir Jailani, Director General for Asia-Pacific and African Affairs under Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Oktaheroe Ramsi, Secretary Directorate General for Defense Strategy of Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense, along with Chinese counterparts Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong and Deputy Director Zhang Baoqun of the Central Military Commission, marked a significant step in the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations.
This 2+2 SOM is seen as a preparatory step for the upcoming ministerial-level dialogue set to take place in 2025, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of Indonesia-China diplomatic relations. During the meeting, both sides agreed on enhancing capacity development cooperation for diplomats and conducting joint military training. They also reaffirmed their commitment to regional security and stability, including efforts to prevent terrorism and combat transnational crimes. The 2+2 dialogue stems from a Memorandum of Understanding reached during President Joko Widodo's visit to Beijing in October 2023, aiming to deepen political, defense, and security collaboration between Indonesia and China.
