Prabowo, Biden to Discuss Food Security and Energy Transition
Jakarta. Newly installed President Prabowo Subianto will discuss food security when he meets his American counterpart Joe Biden at the White House on Tuesday.
Prabowo arrived in Washington on Sunday afternoon after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. A meeting with Biden is next on the list in Prabowo’s first-ever foreign trip itinerary. They will explore ways to strengthen comprehensive strategic partnership, according to the White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
“The leaders will coordinate on sustainable approaches to food security, the clean energy transition, democracy and pluralism, regional peace and stability, and people-to-people ties, as well as advancing our cooperation on humanitarian aid and disaster relief,” Jean-Pierre said Monday.
Despite the mention of food security, Jean-Pierre did not say whether there would be discussions on Prabowo’s signature policy of feeding all Indonesian school children free lunches. The two countries will likely reveal more details on the food security partnership once Prabowo finally meets Biden.
Prabowo came to the US at Biden’s invitation. Xi was also the one who invited Prabowo for the recent state visit to Beijing. Prior to his trip, Prabowo said that it was “impossible to turn down both invitations from the two major powers” for the sake of the Indonesian people.
The meeting took place just days after US President-Elect Donald Trump secured a return to the White House. Presidential spokesman Hasan Nasbi said there was a possibility that Prabowo would meet election winner Trump in the US, although the government has yet to confirm whether their meeting would actually take place.
Last year, the US agreed to elevate its diplomatic ties with Indonesia to a comprehensive strategic partnership -- the two countries agreed to expand cooperation on all issues of common concern.
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