Jakarta.  President Prabowo Subianto is set to fly to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC, Summit from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. 

APEC is a regional economic forum of 21 members that promotes free trade across the Asia-Pacific. US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are set to hold high-stakes trade talks on the sidelines. Foreign Minister Sugiono recently confirmed Prabowo’s attendance, although he did not say when the Indonesian leader would depart from Jakarta.

“Yes, he [Prabowo] will come to the APEC Summit,” Sugiono was quoted as saying by the state news agency Antara.

“The APEC Summit will focus on how Asia-Pacific countries, as one multilateral grouping, can enhance their economic cooperation. Usually, members will discuss what sectors need attention,” he said.

The forum is expected to also zero in on the latest technological developments, including artificial intelligence (AI). According to Sugiono, the leaders will likely make calls for peace amidst the current conflicts happening across the globe, alluding to the Gaza crisis.

APEC member economies include Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea. The group also unites Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the US, and Vietnam.

Prabowo had just returned from Kuala Lumpur for the 47th ASEAN Summit. The Indonesian leader, however, did not stay for the entirety of the three-day summit and left early to what the government called a “tight domestic agenda”. It was in this summit that ASEAN finally accepted Timor-Leste as its 11th member.