Biden hails ‘new era’ in US-Indonesia ties amid Jokowi’s appeal for Gaza ceasefire, ahead of Apec summit with China’s Xi

The United States and Indonesia agreed to new cooperation in defence areas including cybersecurity, space, combined exercises and nuclear threats, the White House said. On climate, they agreed on efforts to support the electrical grid and improve air quality.

But the Biden administration is still concerned about environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards in Indonesia and is examining how such a deal might work. The two sides will unveil a plan that will prepare the countries for negotiations on the issue, one of the US officials said.

The White House said on Monday that Biden would announce a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two sides on sustainable energy and mineral development.

Indonesia makes appeal to US on Gaza

“Indonesia appeals to the US to do more to stop the atrocities in Gaza. Ceasefire is a must for the sake of humanity,” Widodo said in the Oval Office at the start of talks with the US president.

Widodo also raised alarms about the death toll in Gaza, mentioning estimates that a child is killed every 10 minutes.

“Human life seems meaningless, but for me, every life is precious,” he said. “This is a humanitarian problem, and to end it requires global solidarity, global leadership which prioritises humanity.”

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China’s Wang Yi calls for ‘in-depth’ Sino-US dialogue ahead of Antony Blinken talks in Washington

China’s Wang Yi calls for ‘in-depth’ Sino-US dialogue ahead of Antony Blinken talks in Washington

Jakarta and Washington formally upgraded relations to the highest diplomatic tier as part of the leaders’ meeting.

Widodo described the US as one of Indonesia’s most important partners, and he said they must give “real meaning” to their strengthened relationship.

“It’s going to be time soon for us to think about what our next steps are together to deal with a situation that is untenable,” the person said.