Indonesia and China have signed a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in the tourism sector. The agreement was formalised in Jakarta on May 24, 2025, during Chinese premier Li Qiang’s official visit to Indonesia from May 24-26, part of broader efforts to enhance bilateral ties across economic, health and tourism areas.
The MoU outlines six key areas of collaboration. These include the exchange of business contacts and information between tourism ministries and industry players, with the aim of facilitating easier market access and increasing tourism flows between the two countries. The agreement also includes joint efforts to promote Indonesia and China to regional and international tourists through expanded promotional channels.
Plans are in place for each country to establish official non-profit tourism promotion offices in the other’s territory. China has expressed its intention to open such an office in Indonesia, while Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism is expected to establish a counterpart office in China. These plans will be coordinated through the respective foreign affairs ministries.
Both governments have agreed to conduct promotional activities in line with their national laws and regulations, and to support government and private sector tourism stakeholders. The MoU also includes a commitment to the regular exchange of tourism statistics to better understand market trends and demands.
China continues to play a key role in Indonesia’s tourism human resource development, including through Mandarin language training at the Ministry of Tourism’s polytechnics.
In 2024, Indonesia received 13.9 million international visitors, including 1.19 million from China – a 52 per cent increase from 2023. The upward trend continued in early 2025, with Chinese arrivals reaching 279,040 in the first quarter, up 1.15 per cent from the same period the previous year.
Indonesia’s minister of tourism, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, said the agreement is expected to open further opportunities for cooperation and contribute to increased tourism and business engagement between the two nations.
“This tourism cooperation will have a positive impact on both countries. We welcome the MoU as it opens new opportunities for Indonesia to promote its destinations to the Chinese market, and vice versa,” she said, adding that the MoU aims to further strengthen bilateral ties and increase tourism’s contribution to both economies.
