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Send my regards to my friend Joko: Trudeau
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Stronger ties: President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discuss efforts to increase bilateral cooperation between the two countries in Antalya, Turkey, on Nov.15, 2015, ahead of a G20 summit. (Courtesy of the Office of the State Secretariat/File)
P
resident Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have established a close relationship, with the latter expressing interest in visiting Indonesia, an official says.
Indonesian Ambassador to Canada Teuku Faizasyah said that after several encounters, Jokowi and Trudeau had built personal propinquity.
During the state Christmas celebration in Canada last year, Trudeau personally expressed his regards to Jokowi, Faizasyah told The Jakarta Post.
"He said, ‘Please send my regards to my friend Joko’," Faizasyah said on Thursday evening.
Faizasyah further said that his government had recognized Indonesia as a middle-power country that had become a leading state in ASEAN, not to mention Indonesia was also among the G20 group of major economies.
Moreover, both Indonesia and Canada were democratic countries that promoted tolerance, he added.
"There are so many similarities in values and interests. Indonesia is also regarded as a middle-power country," he said.
"That makes it natural for Indonesia to become a good partner of Canada."
He further said that Indonesia and Canada had high potential for investment exchange.
Indonesian companies had invested in Canada's pulp and paper sector, while some were exploring opportunities in mining, he explained.
Canada, meanwhile, had posted a track record in Indonesia through its insurance company, Manulife, he added.
However, there were more opportunities to be explored, Faizasyah said.
"The potential is big but there is a psychological hindrance due to [geographical] distance," he said. "Indonesian investors tend to resist because they consider Canada too far, and vice versa." (dmr)
