China's top legislator meets Indonesian president

China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang met with visiting Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Beijing on Friday to promote ties.

Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, said China and Indonesia have deepened political trust and advanced practical cooperation since the two countries forged diplomatic ties in 1950.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's strategic concept of "the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road " is in line with President Joko's foreign policy for Indonesia as a "global maritime axis," Zhang said, calling for both countries to tap potential and seek common development.

China would like to step up legislative exchanges and cooperation with Indonesia, help implement the consensus between the two presidents and play a unique role in providing legal guarantees and laying a solid public foundation so as to build a stronger strategic partnership.

Joko said Indonesia would like to work more closely with China and the Indonesian congress would like to increase exchanges with the NPC.

On Thursday, Xi and Joko held talks and witnessed the signing of a string of deals on trade, infrastructure construction, aviation, taxation, and search and rescue at sea.

After Beijing, Joko will fly to south China's Hainan province to attend the 2015 Boao Forum for Asia. Endit