Govt Eyes Establishment of Indonesian Cultural Center in Beijing

RRI.CO.ID, Beijing – Indonesia’s cultural diplomacy efforts in China are moving toward concrete steps, with the government preparing plans to establish a cultural center in Beijing as a platform for promotion and education.

Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, said the government will explore the construction of the Indonesian Cultural Center during his visit to Beijing. The initiative aims to strengthen Indonesia–China cultural relations through a collaborative and sustainable approach.

The meeting was attended by Indonesian Ambassador to China and Mongolia Djauhari Oratmangun, as well as members of the Indonesian community, including academics and art educators from Beijing, Tianjin, and Shijiazhuang. Indonesian Cultural Houses have already been established in several countries as instruments of cultural diplomacy.

“Earlier, I went to Shanghai for the inauguration of a research and cooperation center for animation and video games signed by the University of Indonesia. We also want to involve the private sector, particularly Chinese businesses engaged in cultural activities, to serve as an Indonesia–China cultural bridge,” Minister Fadli said at the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing on Sunday, April 26, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

In addition to exploring cultural infrastructure, the government is also building networks with China’s creative industries. The goals include Indonesia’s participation in major events such as the Shanghai and Beijing Film Festivals.

“We hope that next year Indonesia can participate in the Shanghai Film Festival and the Beijing Film Festival. We can send Indonesian filmmakers,” Fadli said.

He emphasized the importance of culture as the foundation of national development, as stipulated in Article 32, Paragraph 1 of the 1945 Constitution. Indonesia, he noted, possesses immense cultural wealth, with 1,340 ethnic groups and 718 languages, representing a significant “soft power.”

“Until now, we have not paid serious attention to our cultural potential, but now we want to move toward a cultural economy, toward a cultural industry,” Minister Fadli said.

He also highlighted Indonesia’s ancient cultural heritage, citing the discovery of the world’s oldest prehistoric paintings in the Muna Islands, Southeast Sulawesi, dating back 67,800 years, as revealed by research conducted by the National Agency for Research and Innovation (BRIN), the Ministry of Culture, and Griffith University.

Since 2003, 16 Indonesian cultural elements have been registered with UNESCO, including wayang (puppet theater), keris (traditional dagger), batik, angklung, pinisi boats, gamelan, pantun (traditional poetry), Balinese dance, Saman dance, jamu (traditional herbal medicine), kolintang, and kebaya.

Minister Fadli added that cultural development must be directed toward a cultural economy and eventually toward a cultural and creative industry. “This is very important because this is what will be sustainable,” he said. ***