by Nurul Fitri Ramadhani and Zhang Yisheng

JAKARTA, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia is deepening its cooperation with China to broaden access to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines and fast-track domestic vaccine development, Taruna Ikrar, head of Indonesia's Food and Drug Authority (BPOM), has said.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Ikrar emphasized that HPV vaccination is one of the national priorities, given the country's high cancer burden and immense population.

"Indonesia has nearly 300 million people and more than 17,000 islands, which creates unique challenges in delivering healthcare and vaccines," Ikrar said, noting that immunization remains the frontline defense, and HPV vaccination is a cornerstone of this strategy to protect women.

Cervical cancer remains a pressing concern in Indonesia. To combat this, the BPOM has been championing the nine-valent HPV vaccine, which offers over 90 percent effectiveness in preventing infection.

To fast-track its availability, Indonesia has been deepening cooperation with China and other international partners through technology exchange and know-how sharing, said Ikrar, highlighting that the partnership with Chinese biotech firms has been instrumental.

Collaborating with Chinese partners allows Indonesia to bypass the start-from-zero phase, Ikrar explained, saying that this partnership not only provides access to cutting-edge technology but also bolsters Indonesia's vaccine manufacturing capabilities.

The cooperation extends toward a multi-tiered ecosystem involving government-to-government cooperation, business-to-business partnership, and academic research alliances, said the BPOM chief.

"I always say collaboration is better than competition," Ikrar said. "If we do collaboration, everyone will win."

Mentioning that Indonesia and China have maintained "strong" and "long" relations since ancient times, Ikrar remains optimistic about the future of China-Indonesia health ties, saying that the most important thing is that "we can make ourselves strong together."

"I believe Indonesia and China, from government, from institution, from university, and also from the people, are just like family," he said. ■