China and Indonesia discussed potentially extending a multi-billion dollar Beijing-funded railway project, an Indonesian minister said Wednesday, after Chinese Premier Li Qiang rode the bullet train on a trial run.
The 142-kilometer high-speed rail line currently connects the capital Jakarta to the city of Bandung.
The prospect of extending it to Indonesia's second-biggest city of Surabaya, more than 700 kilometers across the island of Java, was discussed with Li, senior Indonesian minister Luhut Pandjaitan said.
Emir Monti, a spokeswoman for KCIC, said that Li and Luhut tested the train across a 41-kilometre section of the track from Jakarta to Karawang on its outskirts.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo's $7.3 billion flagship project, which is part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, has faced various problems, such as land procurement issues, delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ballooning costs.
Indonesia has set a goal for commercial launch of the Jakarta-Bandung track on Oct. 1, far behind its original goal of 2019.
Even though Li tried the train, the project had not received an operational permit from Indonesia's transport ministry, which was waiting on results of safety checks, transport minister Budi Karya Sumadi said.
Budi, however, said he was confident the project was safe.
He added that the quality was the same with those in China.
KCIC is made up of both Indonesian and Chinese state companies, including the construction firm Wijaya Karya WIKA.JK and China Railway Engineering Corporation.
Li is in Jakarta to take part in high-level meetings with leaders of countries in Southeast Asia and beyond.