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Prabowo heads to China at Xi’s invitation
The Indonesian government has said that strategic cooperation with China is “vital for regional security and stability”, but also suggested that Prabowo’s visit had been in the works prior to the general election.
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Indonesia's president-elect and Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto walks to deliver his speech on March 20, 2024, after the country's election commission announced last month's presidential election results, in Jakarta. (Reuters/Willy Kurniawan)
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efense Minister Prabowo Subianto embarked Sunday on a three-day trip to China in what analysts see as a key opportunity for the president-elect to prime his relationship with Beijing ahead of his inauguration and amid simmering tensions between the United States and China in Indonesia’s backyard.
His visit to Beijing will be Prabowo’s first overseas trip after the General Elections Commission (KPU) confirmed his landslide victory in the Feb. 14 election.
Defense Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Edwin Adrian Sumantha confirmed the departure of Prabowo’s entourage on Sunday morning, which included ministry officials and intelligence officers, a House of Representatives lawmaker and Prabowo’s son, Ragowo Hediprasetyo.
The minister is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang in Beijing and will remain in China until Wednesday.
“The main aim of this visit is to strengthen bilateral relations between Indonesia and China and increase cooperation in the defense sector,” Edwin told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
China first announced plans for the visit on Friday, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying noting that the president-elect and Gerindra Party chairman would officially be visiting until Tuesday.
At a regular press briefing in Beijing later that day, another spokesperson, Lin Jian, said that President Xi had invited Prabowo for talks with him and Premier Li Qiang to discuss bilateral relations and “matters of mutual interest”.
