inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The Minister of Home Affairs, Tito Karnavian, says the current situation of Indonesia is not so different from those of China in  1998.

“In 1998, everyday they constantly talked about threats from China or Rise of China. At that time, every news story believed that China was going to overtake the US in the next 25 years,” says Tito during a coordination meeting on Wednesday (3/12/2025).

He also noted that the condition in Chinese cities, such as Beijing or Shanghai, are not much better than Jakarta in 1998.

However he saw drastic changes in China when he visited the country in 2024.

“Beijing is now comparable to those of Washington DC. They used underground public transportation, their city are also clean, everything is efficient and effective,” explains Tito.

Tito also adds that he believes China is now more advanced than the US as they now have the bullet train. Currently, China is also trying to create a train that can go at the speed of 500 km per hour.

“And that is the optimistic vibes that I want from the Indonesian. The people of China, back in 1998, believed in something that seemed impossible at that time, going toe to toe with the US, and they realized it,” calls Tito.

Therefore, he invited all parties, including local governments, to be optimistic that Indonesia can become a developed country. Especially in the next 20 years.

“We have to be optimistic, we have the capabilities, we have the potential. What’s left is handling political stability and security, also maintaining our current growth rate while making various breakthroughs,” explains Tito.

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