JAKARTA/WASHINGTON, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Indonesia's
President Prabowo Subianto met with U.S. President Joe Biden at
the White House on Tuesday and offered his congratulations to
President-elect Donald Trump by phone during an official visit
to Washington.
"I will work very hard to strengthen Indonesian-United
States relationship, and I would like to work towards this end
that we have a strong cooperation," said Prabowo.
Prabowo, who has said he will pursue a non-aligned foreign
policy, met with Biden in the Oval Office after posting a video
of his call to Trump.
He arrived in Washington straight from China, where he had
met with President Xi Jinping on his first overseas trip since
taking office last month.
Washington sees Indonesia, the most populous country in
Southeast Asia, as an important partner in a region where its
rival Beijing has deep trade and investment ties. Indonesia is
also the world's most populous Muslim-majority country.
While China is a key economic partner for Indonesia, Jakarta
has also become a big buyer of U.S. arms, and it wants to sell
the West more metals from its mines.
At the White House, Biden said the two leaders were
discussing climate, conflict in the Middle East and the South
China Sea.
Indonesia said on Monday it does not recognize China's
claims over the vast majority of the South China Sea, despite
signing a maritime development deal with Beijing.
TRUMP CALL
Prabowo's office said he made the call to Trump on
Monday after arriving in Washington. It did not immediately
respond when asked if he is scheduled to meet Trump in person.
"Wherever you are, I'm willing to fly to congratulate you
personally, sir," Prabowo said in the video of the call posted
on his social media accounts.
"We'll do that, anytime you want," Trump replied.
Trump described his own election victory as amazing, and
said it gave him a big mandate.
He also said the Indonesian president was "very respected,"
and praised his English, to which Prabowo, a former special
forces commander, replied: "All my training is American, sir."
Prabowo also met with several U.S. company representatives
in Washington, his office said, including from Freeport McMoRan ( FCX )
and energy company Chevron ( CVX ), and urged the
companies to invest in Indonesia.