This photo taken on June 30, 2026 shows the donation ceremony of a model of Zheng He's ship as one of the cultural exchange activities under the theme of "Zheng He Odyssey: Global Friendship Envoy" in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Xinhua) 

A series of cultural exchange activities under the theme of "Zheng He Odyssey: Global Friendship Envoy" was launched here on Tuesday, bringing together more than 160 representatives from the political, business, academic and cultural sectors, as well as overseas Chinese communities from China and Indonesia.

The two-day program features more than 10 events, including the donation of a model of Zheng He's ship, a cultural bazaar and creative poster exhibition, a seminar on the Global Civilization Initiative and the international communication of Zheng He's spirit, and a friendship ceremony for Chinese and Indonesian youth representatives.

Chen Wu, education counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, said that over the 76 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Indonesia have achieved coordinated progress across the "five pillars" of cooperation -- political, economic, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, maritime affairs, and security.

Landmark projects such as the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway and the "Two Countries, Twin Parks" initiative have delivered tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries.

He expressed hope that the two sides would draw wisdom from Zheng He's historic voyages and become inheritors of the spirit of peace, promoters of practical cooperation, and cultivators of lasting friendship.

Wen Liao, deputy director of the Spiritual Civilization Office of the CPC Yunnan Provincial Committee, said Yunnan, the hometown of Zheng He, has long enjoyed close ties with Indonesia. Cooperation between the two sides has evolved from cultural exchanges and trade into institutionalized, multi-level and comprehensive collaboration spanning modern agriculture, biomedicine, clean energy, education, and ecological conservation.

He expressed the hope that both sides would continue to carry forward Zheng He's spirit and write a new chapter of friendship in the new era.

Vinsensius Jemadu, acting deputy for event organization development of Indonesia's Ministry of Tourism, said Zheng He left behind numerous historical sites and cultural memories across the Indonesian archipelago, including those in Semarang, which have become valuable cultural and tourism assets.

He said he hopes tourism brands such as the "Zheng He Route" will further promote people-to-people exchanges to elevate bilateral cooperation in tourism and cultural exchanges to a new level.

As one of the program's highlights, a scale model of Zheng He's ship measuring 71 cm in length and 60 cm in height was donated by Yunnan Province to the Sam Poo Kong Foundation in Semarang.

Crafted by Fu Kunxiang and Wang Li, inheritors of the intangible cultural heritage of traditional ship model making in Kunming, the model is based on the ships of the Ming Dynasty.

It reproduces the vessel's distinctive Fujian-style hull, complete with nine watertight bulkheads and a keel structure, capturing the grandeur of the fleet that once sailed across the seas.