China and Indonesia on Monday celebrated the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Asian-African Conference, also known as the Bandung Conference.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Defense Minister Dong Jun attended the celebratory event in Beijing, along with Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said in a speech that China and Indonesia are good neighbors across the sea and good friends with a shared future.
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 75 years ago, the traditional friendship between the two countries has withstood the test of time and grown stronger, and bilateral practical cooperation has achieved fruitful results, Wang said.
He said China-Indonesia ties, which have weathered rain and shine and gone through trials and tribulations, have achieved remarkable accomplishments and taught valuable lessons including adhering to the leadership of the heads of state, sticking to strategic independence, committing to mutual benefit and win-win results, and upholding fairness and justice.
Under the new circumstances, Wang said, China stands ready to work with Indonesia to jointly promote the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the Bandung Spirit and push for the Global South to seek great strength through solidarity.
In his speech, Sugiono said that in a world fraught with uncertainties, greater unity between the two countries is needed more than ever before.
Indonesia is willing to work with China to promote bilateral relations towards a new era of common prosperity, he said.
China and Indonesia held the First Ministerial Meeting of Joint Foreign and Defense Ministerial Dialogue in the Chinese capital on Monday.
Bandung, capital city of Indonesia's West Java province, hosted the first Asian-African Conference in April 1955, marking the first time that countries in the Global South united to oppose imperialism and colonialism in defense of their sovereign rights and a more equitable world.
China, Indonesia celebrate 75 years of diplomatic ties, mark 70 years since Bandung Conference
The three astronauts of China's recently-returned Shenzhou-20 mission on Friday shared the experiences of their dramatic 204-day space mission, including detailing the emergency procedures which were implemented to bring them safely home after their return capsule was struck by space debris.
The trio -- Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie -- met with the press in Beijing on Friday afternoon, marking their first public appearance since returning to Earth in November.
When detailing the emergency response mechanisms which were enacted prior to their scheduled return, the astronauts explained that upon discovering a triangular crack on the spacecraft's viewport window, they immediately took photos for documentation and transmitted them to the ground team, who swiftly activated an emergency plan to get the trio home safely.
Experienced mission commander Chen Dong explained how the crew had complete faith in their colleagues on the ground to find a solution to these unforeseen circumstances which led to their return being delayed.
"First, we must trust the ground team, who would anticipate everything and develop the safest return plan for us. Second, we must believe in ourselves; as well-trained astronauts, we have the ability to manage various unexpected failures. I believe that with the collaboration of astronauts and researchers on the ground, our space home will surely go farther, more steadily, and for a longer time," he said.
Following their extended stay in space as a result of the debris incident, the Shenzhou-20 crew spent a total 204 days in orbit, setting a new record for the longest duration by a single group of Chinese astronauts.
During their mission, they completed multiple payload operations, conducted extensive scientific experiments, and carried out four extravehicular activities.
"Our crew worked together with the ground team in unity and coordination, completing four extravehicular activities, several payload entry and exit tasks, and a large number of scientific experiments. It was a fulfilling yet challenging mission. The path to exploring the heavens is long and arduous, but I firmly believe that China's space missions will succeed," said Chen Zhongrui, a former air force pilot who was making his first spaceflight during the mission.
"From the ground to space, from learning to application, I have deeply felt the solid progress of Chinese space endeavors and the quiet dedication of countless personnel behind the scenes. In the future, I will accomplish each mission with full commitment, living up to the trust of the motherland and the people," said fellow astronaut Wang Jie, who was also making his debut spaceflight.
After returning to Earth on Nov 14, the trio successfully completed their isolation recovery and rehabilitation and will now resume normal training following health assessments.
The crew's return, originally scheduled for Nov 5, was postponed due to safety concerns, with the astronauts later using the return capsule belonging to their successor crew of the Shenzhou-21 mission to get back to Earth. China later launched the unmanned Shenzhou-22 spacecraft which will serve the future return of the crew now aboard the Tiangong Space Station.
Shenzhou-20 astronauts share experiences after safely returning from debris incident
