Prabowo Subianto has now taken over as President after sweeping the country’s election with policies like free meals for school children and with the outgoing leader’s eldest son as his running mate.

Prabowo officially becomes Indonesia’s 8th president on 20th October, after he was sworn in during a ceremony at Indonesia’s parliament.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishiba have shared that they would maintain “close strategic communication” with newly sworn in President of Indonesia-Prabowo Subianto.

Xi shared, “China and Indonesia have traditionally been friendly neighbors. The two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership has continued to steadily improve and has entered a new stage of building toward a shared future.”

In this context, Xi also held a telephonic conversation with outgoing president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo expressing his belief that the new government of President Prabowo will continue its friendly policy towards China.

Prabowo, who unsuccessfully ran for the presidency twice before, said in a speech to lawmakers after taking his oath of office that, he would be president for all Indonesians, even those who did not vote for him. He was joined in the swearing-in ceremony by his running mate, Gibran RakaBuming Raka, 37, the eldest son of the former President Jokowi.