Knock! Indonesia Continues Cooperation With China Working On Bandung-Surabaya High Speed Train

JAKARTA - The Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) confirmed that the extension of the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed rail project will be carried out by China.

Deputy Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Kartika Wirjoatmodjo revealed that China's appointment to work on this high-speed rail project was after the signing of an agreement between China and Indonesia recently.

Tiko, as he is familiarly called, said that the study cooperation will also be carried out between Indonesia and the China Railway International Group. This company was previously involved in the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train.

"This is just starting to study, yesterday we were from China, we signed it to joint study with China Railway," he said when met at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs, Jakarta, Tuesday, October 31.

However, Tiko was reluctant to mention the investment value agreed between Indonesia and China for the extension of the Bandung-Surabaya high-speed rail project.

"Not yet, not yet (there is an investment and interest value agreement)," he said.

Previously, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan also revealed that there had been an agreement with China to continue the project for the extension of the fast train to Surabaya.

"Pak Jokowi wants the Jakarta Surabaya high-speed train to continue. Earlier I heard that the agreement with China is also running. In fact, the interest is much cheaper than the interest offered by other countries," he said, quoted from the Instagram account @luhut.pandjaitan, quoted Tuesday, October 31.

Luhut said that China's technology can also be proven to make Indonesia have a high-speed train.

"We have proven it and we already have experience. This is the first key problem, this is land acquisition which is not clear. Now that we have experience, we don't have a problem anymore," said Luhut.