The White House has confirmed that U.S. President Biden will host Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the White House on Monday ahead of the U.S. leader’s attendance at a summit of Asian leaders in San Francisco.
The two presidents will have an afternoon tea and hold discussions with top advisers to explore opportunities for enhancing cooperation in areas such as clean energy transition, economic prosperity, and regional peace and stability. They will also discuss ways to expand the trade of critical minerals like nickel, with Indonesia being the world’s largest producer of nickel, used in electric vehicle batteries.
The upcoming meeting aims to bolster regional ties and strengthen relationships in Southeast Asia. Indonesia, as the world’s third-largest democracy, plays a key role in the region and the U.S. is looking to deter China’s influence through such engagements. However, discussions pertaining to the Middle East are also expected to be part of the agenda.
Widodo’s recent participation in a summit of Muslim leaders in Saudi Arabia, where he joined calls for a ceasefire and denounced the Israeli bombardment and invasion of Gaza, is likely to have an impact on the discussions. Moreover, the U.S. is expected to seek Indonesia’s engagement and views on the war between Israel and Hamas, with efforts to involve Widodo in playing a larger role in the Middle East.
