Ecobiz.asia – Indonesia has invited Chinese companies to invest in the development of 100 gigawatts (GW) of solar power capacity, as the government seeks to accelerate its energy transition and strengthen the country’s renewable energy manufacturing base.
The invitation was made by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto during a bilateral meeting with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in Shanghai on Friday (July 17, 2026). The meeting also covered trade, investment, industrial parks, the digital economy, and regional economic cooperation.
Airlangga said Indonesia welcomes Chinese companies to participate as investors, strategic partners, or co-developers in the country’s renewable energy projects, particularly large-scale solar power development.
“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.
President Prabowo Subianto has set a target of developing 100 GW of solar power capacity to support Indonesia’s energy transition and downstream industrial development. The government is also promoting the expansion of the domestic solar panel industry to build a more integrated solar manufacturing supply chain.
Airlangga said Indonesia’s existing solar manufacturing industry still has significant room for expansion, enabling the country to move beyond panel assembly toward manufacturing key solar energy components.
Beyond the energy sector, Airlangga noted that China remains Indonesia’s largest trading partner. Bilateral trade reached US$154.6 billion in 2025, growing at an average annual rate of 7.24% between 2021 and 2025.
China is also one of Indonesia’s three largest sources of foreign direct investment. Chinese investment realization reached nearly US$8.1 billion in 2025, accounting for around 13% of total foreign investment, mainly in manufacturing, trade, energy, real estate, transportation, and logistics.
During the meeting, Airlangga also called for faster implementation of the Two Countries Twin Parks (TCTP) initiative. Indonesia and China have so far signed 30 memoranda of understanding under the framework, with an estimated investment value of Rp37.1 trillion.
“The memoranda of understanding that have been signed should be translated into concrete investments as soon as possible. We also encourage the establishment of joint ventures so that the TCTP initiative can deliver more tangible economic benefits,” he said.
Indonesia also sought support from China’s Ministry of Commerce to encourage greater participation by Chinese companies in the development of industrial and commercial zones in Indonesia, including through collaboration with Danantara Indonesia on priority investment projects.
The two sides also discussed Indonesia’s proposal to host the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Secretariat and agreed to prepare priority initiatives that could be announced during the APEC Leaders’ Meeting in China in 2026.
“Indonesia remains committed to providing policy certainty and maintaining a conducive investment climate. We hope this meeting will lead to concrete cooperation and investment projects that deliver balanced benefits for both countries,” Airlangga said. ***
