RRI.CO.ID, Jakartra - Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia, Wang Lutong, has voiced strong support for Indonesia’s transmigration transformation program, framing it as part of a broader push to deepen cooperation in rural development, poverty alleviation, and regional modernization.

Speaking at the launch of the Tim Ekspedisi Patriot (Patriot Expedition Team) 2026 organized by the Indonesian Ministry of Transmigration in Jakarta, Wang highlighted the initiative as a reflection of Indonesia’s commitment to balanced regional growth and improved welfare in transmigration areas.

“The success of Tim Ekspedisi Patriot 2026 will symbolize enduring friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Indonesia,” Wang said in an official statement on Monday, August 4, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

He noted that bilateral ties have strengthened through frequent meetings between Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which have produced strategic agreements in rural development and poverty reduction.

As part of this collaboration, China has invited Indonesian local administrations from transmigration regions to study its rural revitalization practices.

Indonesian delegations have previously visited Shanghai and Hubei Province to learn about China’s poverty eradication policies. Wang underscored China’s achievement in eliminating extreme poverty in 2021 through targeted, collaborative, and sustainable approaches, offering lessons for Indonesia’s own programs.

The Tim Ekspedisi Patriot 2026 involves 1,476 participants across 246 teams deployed to 53 transmigration areas nationwide. Their tasks include community assistance, feasibility studies, and preparing investment-ready project documents to spur local economic growth.

Indonesian Minister of Transmigration Muhammad Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara said the sites are part of 154 priority transmigration zones mapped under the 2025 Patriot Expedition Team. To support the initiative, the ministry has allocated IDR 226 billion--about 35 percent of its 2026 budget--for the Patriot program.

Wang expressed hope that the expedition teams would contribute meaningfully to regional development, reinforcing the long-term partnership between Indonesia and China in building prosperous rural communities. ***