Jakarta. Visiting UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will hold talks with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on a range of issues including the coup in Myanmar, the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change on Wednesday.

Raab also will announce the planned deployment of the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Task Group to the region amid escalating tension in the South China Sea triggered by China’s territorial claims.

“The Carrier Strike Group’s deployment marks the start of a new era of defense cooperation. And the UK is investing in long term partnerships as a force for good in the region,” Raab said in a statement.

The Carrier Strike Group will be led by the HMS Queen Elizabeth in its maiden visit to the region.

According to the UK Embassy in Jakarta, the Carrier Strike Group will provide “tangible reassurance and security to our friends and allies, and a credible deterrence to those who seek to undermine global security”.

During his Jakarta visit, Raab will also meet Health Minister Budi Sadikin to discuss the importance of international collaboration in pandemic preparedness. 

Bilateral health cooperation includes telemedicine, research through the UK’s Newton Fund, and genome sequencing through the UK’s Fleming Fund. 

“His visit strengthens the already great friendship between the UK and Indonesia. It is early proof of the UK’s stated desire to focus more on the Indo Pacific region – and on our relationships with countries like Indonesia,” Owen Jenkins , the UK Ambassador to Indonesia, said.

On Thursday, Raab will continue his Southeast Asia trip to Commonwealth nation and current ASEAN chair, Brunei-Darussalam, for high level meetings to discuss trade, climate, and security issues.