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Prabowo, Austin discuss Indonesia-US defense cooperation, Indo-Pacific
During a meeting with Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reiterated their support for “Indonesian leadership in the region” as well as “the importance of ASEAN”.
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Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto during a hearing at the House of Representatives on June 2, 2021. (Antara/Muhammad Adimaja)
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efense Minister Prabowo Subianto recently met with his United States counterpart Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to discuss regional security in the increasingly contested Indo-Pacific region, as well as future bilateral exercises and security cooperation between Indonesia and the US.
Their meeting took place on Saturday in Manama, Bahrain on the sidelines of the 17th regional security summit known as the Manama Dialogue and hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
During the meeting, Austin reiterated the US’ support for “Indonesian leadership in the region” as well as “the importance of ASEAN”, according to a US Department of Defense statement released on Saturday.
“We are proud to be Indonesia’s largest military engagement partner, and we see the mutual benefits in a bilateral security cooperation,” Austin said on Twitter on Saturday.
He said the US also saw Indonesia as a partner for their shared vision of an open and orderly Indo-Pacific that upholds international law.
Austin’s dialogue with Prabowo appeared to be part of the US’ larger effort to strengthen regional and global partnerships with countries in the Indo-Pacific, as it looks to match China’s grip and military presence in the region, which the US claimed to be a global security and stability threat.
Read also: US lays on charm, highlights Indo-Pacific shared values during RI leg of SEA tour
