From May 11–13, 2026, the Indonesia Coal and Energy Expo 2026 (ICEE 2026) were successfully held at the Jakarta International Expo. With an exhibition area of 20,000 square meters, the event brought together more than 150 leading domestic and international energy enterprises and attracted approximately 15,000 attendances. During the opening ceremony, Priyadi, Chairman of the Indonesian Coal Mining Association, delivered a keynote speech sharing his views on the role of coal in the energy transition and the future direction of China–Indonesia cooperation.

Priyadi noted that the coal industry is currently undergoing dynamic changes, with production being adjusted to maintain a balance between supply and demand. Despite these changes, coal continues to play a vital role, particularly as a reliable baseload energy source and an essential component of Indonesia's national energy system.

He emphasized that the energy transition should not be viewed as a simple choice between one energy source and another. Instead, it requires comprehensive consideration of system readiness, technological capability, infrastructure, financing capacity, socioeconomic impacts, and long-term industrial sustainability.

Priyadi called for a new approach to coal development: rather than simply restricting the use of coal, the focus should be on transformation; rather than simply reducing consumption, efforts should be directed toward improving efficiency and creating greater added value; and rather than only criticizing the industry, greater emphasis should be placed on encouraging innovation.

Within the framework of China–Indonesia cooperation, Priyadi identified four key areas with tremendous potential:

· Green mining;
· Digital and smart mining;
· Coal processing and value-added utilization;
· Coal chemical industries.

As a premier industry exhibition covering Indonesia's entire coal industry value chain, ICEE has, through two successful editions, become an important gateway for Chinese energy enterprises seeking to expand into Southeast Asia and strengthening their presence in the Indonesian market.

The Indonesia International Coal and Energy Industry Expo 2027 will once again be held at the Jakarta International Expo from May 26–28, 2027. The exhibition will expand to 30,000 square meters, with more than 600 exhibitors and is expected to attract over 28,000 professional visitors. ICEE will continue to provide a professional platform for China–Indonesia energy policy dialogue, technology exchange, and project matchmaking, fostering deeper cooperation in green mining, smart mining, coal processing and value-added technologies, and coal chemical industries, while jointly creating new opportunities in the Southeast Asian energy market.