Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama says he plans to scrap a property tax for houses and low-cost apartments in the capital worth less than Rp 1 billion ($70,000). (Antara Photo/Vitalis Yogi Trisna)

Hong Kong. Indonesia will seek to host the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank's headquarters, the finance minister of Southeast Asia's largest economy said on Monday, though the new multi-lateral lender is led by China and Beijing wants the role for itself.

A number of countries have said they would participate in the AIIB. The new bank is slated to start operations by the end of the year.

"It is our aspiration to have the headquarters in Jakarta, but of course we will have to compete with Beijing on that," said Bambang Brodjonegoro, speaking on the sidelines of the Credit Suisse Asian Investment Conference in Hong Kong.

Bambang, echoing recent comments by China's Finance Minister, Lou Jiwei, said the infrastructure needs of Asiaare endless and the AIIB will be comlementary to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which focuses on development and education, as well as infrastructure.

"AIIB will focus only on infrastructure," the Indonesian minister said.

At least 35 countries will join the AIIB by the deadline of March 31, the bank's interim chief, Jin Liqun, said on Sunday.

India, Indonesia and New Zealand have expressed interest in joining the bank, he told a conference in Beijing, following a request by Britain, France, Italy and Luxembourg to become founding members.

The United States, worried about China's growing diplomatic clout, has questioned whether the AIIB will have sufficient standards of governance and environmental and social safeguards.

Reuters