China and Indonesia have agreed to strengthen cooperation in key sectors, including lithium, new energy vehicles, green energy and tourism, according to a joint statement released on Saturday.

President Prabowo Subianto also chose China for his first visit as president elect, underscoring Jakarta's commitment to stronger strategic ties with Beijing.

Chinese and Indonesian firms will sign business agreements totaling more than $10 billion on Sunday, President Prabowo Subianto said as he met his counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing during a state visit.

China rejected Philippine maritime claims on Sunday, saying new legislation "severely infringes on" Beijing's territorial sovereignty and rights in the South China Sea, and vowing to protect its own interests.

The move from Beijing comes just a day after the Philippines signed two laws defining the country’s maritime zones

China has published baselines for a contested shoal in the South China Sea it had seized from the Philippines, a move that’s likely to increase tensions over overlapping territorial claims