Jakarta, INTI - Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, has invited Chinese companies to invest in the development of 100 gigawatts (GW) of solar power capacity as part of the country's renewable energy transition and industrial downstream strategy.
The initiative supports President Prabowo Subianto's target of building 100 GW of solar power capacity, with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) aiming to achieve the goal by 2029.
Airlangga praised China's contribution to Indonesia's clean energy sector, particularly through the Cirata Floating Solar Power Plant, describing it as a successful example of bilateral cooperation in accelerating renewable energy development and reducing carbon emissions.
"Indonesia appreciates China's investment in the Cirata Floating Solar Power Plant. The project demonstrates the strong potential for Indonesia–China cooperation in supporting the energy transition, clean energy development, and emissions reduction targets," Airlangga said in a statement received in Jakarta on Saturday.
He noted that Indonesia's domestic solar panel manufacturing industry has significant room for expansion. Strengthening local production capacity, he said, will help establish a more integrated and competitive solar energy supply chain within the country.
The investment invitation was delivered during Airlangga's bilateral meeting with Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao in Shanghai on Friday, July 17, 2026. The discussions covered economic cooperation, trade, investment, energy transition, and regional collaboration.
Indonesia Seeks Stronger Chinese Investment
Beyond renewable energy, Airlangga highlighted China's role as Indonesia's largest trading partner. Bilateral trade reached US$154.6 billion in 2025, recording an average annual growth of 7.24% between 2021 and 2025.
China also remained one of Indonesia's three largest sources of foreign direct investment. In 2025, Chinese investment totaled nearly US$8.1 billion, representing approximately 13% of Indonesia's total foreign investment, primarily across manufacturing, trade, energy, property, transportation, and logistics sectors.
During the meeting, Airlangga also discussed expanding cooperation through the Two Countries Twin Parks (TCTP) initiative. To date, the two countries have signed 30 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with an estimated investment value of Rp37.1 trillion.
He emphasized the importance of turning these agreements into tangible investment projects and encouraged Indonesian and Chinese companies to establish joint ventures to accelerate TCTP implementation.
"The Memorandums of Understanding that have been signed should now be translated into concrete investments. We also encourage the establishment of joint ventures so that the TCTP initiative can deliver more tangible economic benefits," he said.
Expanding Regional Economic Cooperation
Airlangga also called for greater participation from Chinese companies in developing industrial estates and commercial zones across Indonesia.
In the trade sector, Indonesia is seeking a more balanced economic relationship by expanding market access for Indonesian products, increasing exports of value-added goods, strengthening downstream industries, and promoting export-oriented investment.
He added that Danantara Indonesia is expected to play a strategic role in attracting high-quality investment, strengthening domestic production capacity, supporting priority projects, reinforcing supply chains, encouraging technology transfer, creating jobs, and promoting more balanced bilateral trade.
At the regional level, Indonesia requested China's support for establishing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Secretariat in Indonesia while also advocating for the development of the RCEP 3.0 agenda to address evolving global trade, digital transformation, and supply chain challenges.
Ahead of APEC 2026, which will be hosted by China, Airlangga reaffirmed Indonesia's support for China's chairmanship and expressed hope that both countries would identify priority projects that could be announced during the upcoming leaders' meeting.
"The Indonesian Government remains committed to maintaining policy certainty and fostering a conducive investment climate. We hope this meeting will lead to concrete cooperation and projects that deliver balanced and mutually beneficial outcomes for both countries," Airlangga concluded.
Conclusion
Indonesia is strengthening its partnership with China to accelerate renewable energy development, particularly through its ambitious 100 GW solar power program. By encouraging investment in clean energy, industrial development, and technology collaboration, the government aims to advance the country's energy transition while creating long-term economic growth and sustainable industrial opportunities.
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