Jakarta. Senior minister Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, colloquially known as AHY, recently asked Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang if his country could help fund Indonesia’s Giant Sea Wall project that would save Jakarta from flooding.

The project involves constructing a sea wall that stretches 700 kilometers along the coast of Banten to East Java’s Gresik. President Prabowo Subianto has designated the Giant Sea Wall as one of the 77 “national strategic projects” for 2025-2029, meaning that his administration would place a strong focus on its development. Prabowo has put AHY, who heads the infrastructure affairs coordinating ministry, in charge of this colossal project. As preparations get underway, AHY pursues international support for the sea wall. AHY even brought up the possibility of Beijing funding the project when he met with Ding in China on Wednesday local time.

“We believe that China’s experience in some large-scale engineering projects -- such as Shanghai’s flood control system and Tianjin’s coastal management initiative -- can improve our understanding,” AHY told the Chinese politician, as reported by a ministerial press statement. 

“We hope China can provide technical assistance and financial support for us to design and implement the [sea wall] project,” AHY said.

This was not the first time that both governments discussed the Giant Sea Wall. The project became a topic of discussion when Prabowo met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing last November. AHY recently admitted to reporters that building a sea wall would not be cheap. And so the government is open to constructing a coastal defense using state money or private investments from both home and abroad.

China is a major investor in Indonesia. Government data shows China was Indonesia’s third-largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2024, reaching approximately $8.1 billion. The world’s largest economy is pursuing Xi's “Belt and Road Initiative”, which sees Beijing building infrastructure worldwide to extend its influence. The $7 billion China-backed high-speed train, which links Jakarta and Bandung, is a prime example of the Belt and Road Initiative’s implementation in Indonesia. There are plans to extend the train to Surabaya. 

“The high-speed train does not only boost connectivity, but it also strengthens Indonesia’s economy. Its success lays the foundation for the expansion plans … with hopes that it could further boost economic integration,” AHY told Ding.