Australian PM Albanese to visit Indonesia in first overseas trip since re-election

MELBOURNE Australia AP Australia s newly re-elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese commented on Wednesday he would visit Indonesia next a week to underscore a key bilateral relationship Albanese mentioned he would meet with President Prabowo Subianto on May a day after his new authorities is sworn in That is a signal to our region of the importance that we place on this region We will in the fastest growing region of the world in human history Albanese announced in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corp Albanese described Subianto as a good friend of mine on a personal level as well as our countries being close We have no more crucial relationship than Indonesia We have an crucial economic relationship with them They will grow to be the fourth largest economic activity in the world We have an crucial defense and prevention relationship with them as well Albanese declared Albanese s center-left Labor Party won a second three-year term in an emphatic electoral process mastery on Saturday Newly-elected Australian prime ministers typically make their first bilateral visit to Asia usually Indonesia But Albanese s polling rival Peter Dutton leader of the conservative opposition had proposed current from tradition by making his first overseas trip as prime minister to the United States to strike a better tariff deal with President Donald Trump Australia was hit during the electoral process campaign with a global-minimum tariff on exports to the U S despite trading with its bilateral free business partner at a deficit for decades Media reports last month that Russia had explained Jakarta it sought to base long-range warplanes in Papua the the bulk eastern Indonesian province were also raised as a protection issue during the balloting campaign Indonesia has stated Australia that no such Russian base would be allowed Cementing Australia s bilateral relationship with Indonesia is critical according to Natalie Sambhi a protocol expert with the Sydney-based Asia Society Australia educational institute Indonesia is our closest strategic partner in the region Visiting again is just sending that message home that Indonesia really matters to Australia and that we have to work together given our proximity as emerging middle-powers in the region Sambhi explained Albanese will tour to Alberta Canada in June to attend a Group of summit and is expected to meet Trump during a U S bilateral state visit while in North America Source