2. Mike Pompeo to Visit Indonesia to Discuss Indo-Pacific Strategy
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Asia October 25-30, 2020 during which his schedule includes a visit to Indonesia.
The visit comes amid increasing tension between the US and China which are vying to win over support from several Asian countries particularly over the South China Sea conflict that China claims is its territory.
Several countries including Indonesia have denounced China’s territorial claims.
The US Secretary of State’s website explains that Mike Pompeo’s visit to Indonesia is “to reassert the vision of both countries for Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy”.
Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi confirmed news of Pompeo’s planned visit and only emphasized that it will be to strengthen US-Indonesia bilateral relations without providing further details of the upcoming meeting.
Minister Retno stated the US is an important partner, thus frequent visits by state officials from both nations are not surprising even amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Prior to Mike Pompeo’s visit to Indonesia, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto visited the US October 15-19 on the invitation of US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper to discuss military bilateral cooperation.
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