Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia and China have initiated talks to explore strategic cooperation in the housing sector, focusing on addressing challenges faced by low- and middle-income families.Indonesian Housing and Settlements Minister Maruarar Sirait opened the discussions by hosting China’s Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong in Jakarta on Wednesday.“We exchanged experiences of Indonesia and China on the housing sector, discussing ways to tackle housing backlogs affecting residents who do not own homes,” he said.He emphasized that the housing backlog remains one of Indonesia's biggest challenges, noting that the country faces a shortage of 9.6 million housing units, according to the 2025 National Socioeconomic Survey.”We agreed to pursue follow-up measures focusing on housing for low- and middle-income residents,” he said.He added that the three-hour meeting also covered matters pertaining to uninhabitable homes, financing options, technology transfer, and land acquisition.The minister said he had drawn attention to effective land acquisition methods in urban areas and the adoption of environmentally friendly practices in developing subsidized homes.“Regarding subsidized homes, each unit must come with one tree for the greenery requirement,” Sirait stated.For his part, Minister Ni Hong described the Jakarta talks as an open meeting crucial for the two countries to pave the way for expanded housing cooperation.“Since Indonesia is our key trading partner, we expect the housing cooperation to be elevated to a higher level,” he said.He also pledged to encourage Chinese businesses to make greater contributions to the bilateral cooperation to ensure high-quality homes.“It is true that countries face different challenges on account of their varying conditions. However, we are keen to learn from one another and jointly find solutions,” the minister added.Furthermore, he expressed confidence that the meeting would further strengthen ties between Indonesia and China.