Jakarta. Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin met with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun to discuss bilateral military cooperation in Beijing on Wednesday. 

“We want to bolster our existing cooperation. One that does not only focus on defense ministry transfer but also strengthens direct interactions between our military personnel via soldier-to-soldier contact program,” Sjafrie said, commenting on his meeting with Jun, as reported by the state news agency Antara.

Sjafrie said that the talks also touched on the use of dialogue to resolve issues in the region. Maintaining regional stability is crucial amidst the current geopolitical dynamics, according to the minister. Sjafrie’s Beijing trip took place after he hosted Chinese top military official General Liu Zhenli on a visit to Jakarta.

Indonesia is currently reaching out to its international partners to strengthen its national military forces and modernize its defense equipment. Earlier this month, Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani flew to Jakarta to meet Sjafrie.

According to Defense Ministry’s spokesperson Frega Ferdinand Wenas, both ministers discussed the possibility of striking a military technology transfer deal. Last November, Indonesia and close neighbor Australia held joint military drills after the two nations inked a treaty-level defense pact.