President Widodo and Biden discussed partnership among Indonesia, ASEAN and the United States in an effort to build prosperity in the Indo-Pacific Region.

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – President Widodo and Biden in Bali on Monday discussed partnership among Indonesia, ASEAN and the United States in an effort to build prosperity in the Indo-Pacific Region.

Indonesia is committed to providing support and fully participating in the IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework), the Indonesian Cabinet Secretariat quoted the remark when President Widodo and Biden had a bilateral meeting before attending the G20 Summit in Bali that will take place on Nov. 15-16, 2022.

“For Indonesia, concrete cooperation has always been a reference. I will assign Indonesia’s coordinating minister for the economy to continue to follow up on this IPEF collaboration," the president said.

Regarding the Indo-Pacific Region, President Widodo underlined the importance of security issues to be discussed. However, according to the president, Indo-Pacific economic cooperation is equally important and needs to be strengthened.

"The partnership among Indonesia, ASEAN and the United States to build prosperity in the Indo-Pacific needs to be strengthened," the president said.

The president further said, as the Chair of ASEAN next year, Indonesia will hold the Indo-Pacific Infrastructure Forum which is one of the implementations of the concept of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo Pacific (AOIP).

"I really hope the U.S. can participate in the forum as a form of the U.S. support for AOIP," the president added.

During the bilateral meeting between the two heads of state which was held at The Apurva Kempinski Bali, President Joko Widodo also expressed his gratitude for the presence of President Joe Biden at the G20 Summit in Indonesia.

“I appreciate President Biden's presence at the G20 Summit," said the Indonesian head of state who hoped that the G20 Summit could result in concrete cooperation.

"I hope that the G20 Summit will be able to produce concrete cooperation that can help the world recover the global economy," he said.

Indonesia hopes that all the G20 countries can provide flexibility so that concrete commitments from the summit results can be achieved.

On this occasion, President Widodo was accompanied by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto, Minister for Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Minister for State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir, and Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif.

Reporting by Indonesia Window