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Indonesia coy about Biden’s Indo-Pacific economic offer
The Foreign Ministry insists Indo-Pacific cooperation should remain inclusive, ahead of the imminent announcement of a United States-led economic cooperation platform that is believed to be designed to exclude China.
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United States President Joe Biden participates in the US-ASEAN Special Summit at the US State Department in Washington, DC, on May 13, 2022. (AFP/Brendan Smialowski)
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ndonesia is keeping its cards close to its chest ahead of the imminent launch of a United States economic initiative for the Indo-Pacific, as Jakarta reiterates the need for any region-wide cooperation to remain inclusive.
US President Joe Biden is expected to declare the official launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) during his Asia trip this week. He is set to arrive in South Korea on Friday for a state visit before heading to Japan for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue summit on May 23 and 24.
The IPEF aims to enhance the US partnership with countries in the Indo-Pacific on a wide range of areas such as digital trade, supply chain resilience, infrastructure and green technology. The US foreign policy doctrine on the Indo-Pacific is regarded by many analysts as an attempt to exclude strategic rival China, ASEAN’s largest trade partner.
Just last week, Biden hosted leaders of Southeast Asian nations to shore up support for his new economic platform.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said that Indonesia was among the countries present during a senior officials meeting on the IPEF on Tuesday, at which Indonesia outlined its views regarding the concept.
He said countries should be able to choose whether to join in one specific “pillar” of the partnership or all at once.
“Indonesia will soon announce its position whether it will join or not,” Faizasyah told reporters in a regular press briefing on Thursday.
