Indonesian President Prabowo visits China for WWII parade amid protests at home
The Indonesian leader arrived in Beijing on Wednesday morning (Sep 3).
In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin (centre) poses for a photograph alongside China's President Xi Jinping (right) and Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto (left) before a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on Sep 3, 2025. (Photo: AFP/Pool/Sergey Bobylev)
BEIJING: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto was in China for a military parade commemorating 80 years since the end of World War II on Wednesday (Sep 3), after earlier cancelling his trip over deadly domestic protests stoked by the death of a young delivery rider.
He arrived in Beijing on Wednesday morning, according to China's foreign ministry, which said China welcomes the move.
Southeast Asia's biggest economy was rocked by the widespread protests, which left at least six dead and were initially sparked by the handing out of lavish perks to lawmakers.
Prabowo was forced to revoke some of the incentives in the wake of the demonstrations.
State Secretariat Minister Prasetyo Hadi said the Indonesian leader left for China on Tuesday evening and was due back a day later.
"Today he monitored the situation and received reports from all relevant officials that public life was gradually returning to normal," said Prasetyo.
Prabowo and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping were expected to meet for talks during the visit, he said.
The rallies have become smaller in recent days after the lawmaker perks were revoked and the military was deployed to the capital on Monday in a show of force.
Prabowo was among more than 25 leaders - including North Korea's Kim Jong Un and Russia's Vladimir Putin - spotted at Wednesday's parade centred on Beijing's Tiananmen Square.
Xi invited Prabowo for the huge spectacle, in which China showcased its military prowess, with troops marching in formation, flypasts and high-tech fighting gear on display.
Millions of Chinese people were killed during a prolonged war with imperial Japan in the 1930s and 40s, which became part of a global conflict following Tokyo's attack on the United States' Pearl Harbor in 1941.
Indonesia maintains a neutral foreign policy through which it maintains strong relations with both Washington and Beijing. But Prabowo has pledged to boost ties and defence cooperation with China.
On Saturday, Prasetyo had said Prabowo wanted to "continue monitoring (the situation in Indonesia) directly ... and seek the best solutions" and apologised to the Chinese government that he could not attend the parade and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.
Indonesia's Foreign Minister Sugiono attended the SCO summit from Aug 31 to Sep 1, on behalf of Prabowo.
