Australian leader’s visit affirms deeper ties to Indonesia

By NINIEK KARMINI
Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is looking to move beyond regional issues. Albanese is promoting the importance of building stronger economic ties with neighboring Indonesia. On Monday, he hit on the importance of expanding their trade and investment relationship, highlighting the two countries’ ambition to better utilize the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. But he did not bring up the thorny issue of Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States announcing last year a trilateral security agreement, dubbed AUKUS, under which Australia would acquire nuclear-powered submarines. Indonesian President Joko Widodo expressed concern about AUKUS last October.