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Indonesian president meets Biden and speaks with Trump, pledges cooperation
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Indonesian president meets Biden and speaks with Trump, pledges cooperation
Nov 12, 2024 3:44 PM

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.

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