JAKARTA: Indonesia’s new president traveled to China for a state go to on Friday (November 8), beginning a five-nation tour that would embrace a gathering with US President-elect Donald Trump as he seeks to rebalance relations with main powers on his first journey overseas. voyage.
Prabowo Subianto, a 73-year-old former basic who took workplace final month, has pledged to place Jakarta extra prominently on the world stage whereas sustaining its conventional non-aligned overseas coverage.
Before leaving, Prabowo stated he would first go to Beijing, the place he’s anticipated to carry talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, then journey to Washington on the invitation of US President Joe Biden.
The journey will embrace visits to Peru for the APEC summit and Brazil for the G20 summit of main economies, earlier than concluding in Britain, the place he’ll meet Prime Minister Keir Starmer, he stated.
“I consider this reveals the excessive regard during which Indonesia is held and the significance of inviting Indonesia to take part in bilateral and multilateral conferences,” Prabowo stated, in response to broadcaster Kompas TV.
“This is an honor for us and we’ll preserve good relations with all events.”
He stated he “might go to a number of Middle Eastern international locations” on his approach again to Indonesia on the finish of the two-week tour.
It is unclear whether or not his go to to Washington will embrace a gathering with Trump, however Prabowo’s presidential spokesman, Hasan Nasbi, advised AFP on Thursday that “there’s a risk” that talks with him are on the desk.
Prabowo has vowed to be bolder in overseas coverage than his predecessor Joko Widodo, who targeted extra on home points such because the economic system.
Beijing and Jakarta are key financial allies, with Chinese firms pouring cash into extracting Indonesia’s pure assets, notably the nickel sector, lately.
But final month, Indonesia kicked a Chinese coast guard vessel out of disputed waters of the South China Sea thrice.
The incidents have been an early take a look at for Prabowo, who has pledged to strengthen Indonesia’s territorial protection.
