The high-speed rail project remains a priority for the Indonesian government and reports that said it had been "halted" did not come through official channels, the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing told China Daily on Friday.

Santo Darmosumarto, counselor of social and cultural affairs at the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing, said the project was definitely "ongoing" as the Indonesian government just issued a presidential decree in January which listed it as one of their 46 priority projects for 2016.

"I think the media has been too sensational about the project," Darmosumarto said, and stressed that such a project involves a process and regulations that have to be complied with.