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RI-Oz trade talks end in street food diplomacy
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Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Hon. Steven Ciobo (second right), and Indonesian Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita (second left) eat lunch at seafood restaurant Wiro Sableng 212 in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, after their official meeting on Sept. 20. (JP/Stefani Ribka)
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ustralian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Hon. Steven Ciobo, is apparently a fan of Indonesian food --specifically, the seafood he ate at a street-side restaurant in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, where Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita invited him for lunch after an official meeting on Wednesday.
Ciobo, who is known for his willingness to explore different cuisines, said his favorite dish of the day was a chargrilled pomfret and stir fried dewa leaves with green chili.
“It was absolutely delicious. It was such a beautiful meal and the flavor is very authentic in Indonesia,” he told reporters after eating at the restaurant, Wiro Sableng 212.
Other dishes served were chargrilled crab, crab with salted egg, grilled prawns, fried squid, stir-fried beansprouts with salted fish and stir-fried kangkung. The officials were also offered various juices, from mango and orange to dragon fruit.
Read also: Indonesia agrees to lower tariff on Australian raw sugarThis was Ciobo’s third visit to Jakarta within the year. He said he visited a small, family-owned noodle shop in his previous visit.
“You know, the best way to have a good understanding of a culture is to sit down and to eat the local food,” he said. The minister visited the city to talk with Enggartiasto on the negotiation progress of the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA).
Both countries aim to conclude negotiations by year-end to improve economic bonds through trade, investment and knowledge transfer. (bbn)
