
'Personal touch' on display at Aussie PM's return visit to Indonesia
Keen observers saw the meeting as a promising sign of continued rapport between the two countries' leaders, which has defined the tone of bilateral relations for the better part of a decade.
However, as with any changing of the guard, there is also no easy guarantee of future political synergy, they warned.
In a momentous gesture symbolising Canberra's continued emphasis on its relationship with Jakarta, Albanese once again chose Indonesia as his first international destination, honouring prevailing diplomatic custom after winning this month's federal election by a landslide.
Prabowo welcomed his arrival to the State Palace on Thursday morning with a grand procession involving a military motorbike convoy, a guard of honour, nearly six dozen cavalrymen on standby and 200 secondary school students waving the flags of the two countries.
Following the ceremony, Prabowo and Albanese held a private tete-a-tete centring on strengthening cooperation in defence, digital technology, energy transition, education and the green economy, according to an official statement from the Palace.
'It is a great honour for Indonesia to receive the maiden visit of PM Albanese just one day after his inauguration,' Prabowo said in a joint press conference following the meeting.
'Australia and Indonesia are fated to be neighbours, and good neighbours will help each other during times of difficulties. I am personally determined to keep good relations [...], and we are grateful that Australia sees us as its close friend,' he said.
Albanese, meanwhile, highlighted his view that the partnership between the two countries must 'match the scale of the growth and transformation that is underway' in both Indonesia and the region at large, a view that he said drove him to make the same choice to visit nearly three years ago.
'No relationship is more important to Australia than this one, and no nation is more important to the prosperity, security and stability of the Indo-Pacific than Indonesia,' Albanese asserted.
In 2022, Albanese made it clear for the first time in years that his administration would put Indonesia at the top of Australia's foreign policy priority list, visiting then-president Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo in Bogor, West Java, and sharing moments he described at the time as 'heartfelt'.
And while analysts will argue that there was some blowback when the PM failed to show up at Prabowo's inauguration last October, the personal touch between the nations' two leaders had also become a defining feature of contemporary Indonesia-Australia relations.
Indonesia-oriented diplomacy was not always a given for Australia, given Canberra's dynamic domestic political landscape and its 'revolving-door' of leaders that have often tested bilateral ties.
In 2013, for example, tensions were high when then-prime minister Tony Abbott's spying on president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was exposed by Australian and Indonesian media. At the time, Yudhoyono slammed Abbott publicly on social media, and the Foreign Ministry swiftly recalled its envoy to Canberra.
Tensions spiked again in 2015 when Jokowi authorised the execution of two Australian drug trafficking ring leaders, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, a controversial move that resulted in the temporary withdrawal of the Australian envoy to Jakarta.
Albanese's 2022 visit to Indonesia, however, was hailed as a fresh start for Jakarta-Canberra relations, with the Labor Party leader going above and beyond not only to prioritise Indonesia politically, but also form a close personal relationship with its leader.
One year after his Bogor visit, where Jokowi invited him to weave through the botanical gardens on locally produced bamboo bicycles, Albanese returned the gesture by taking the former president sailing around Sydney's famed harbour.
While some critics may say that Jokowi and Albanese's kinship was defined partly by their shared background of coming from humble beginnings, in contrast to Prabowo's bourgeois upbringing, the prospect for a close relationship remains on the cards.
'The atmosphere, in terms of personal rapport, is extremely positive,' researcher Susannah Patton from Australia-based think tank Lowy Institute told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
'Prabowo is clearly a more personable, warm and confident leader [compared with Jokowi],' she said.
'As a defence minister, he was already well-disposed to Australia and Western countries, which is something Australia would really welcome as it promises a more mature strategic dialogue between the two countries.'
On Wednesday evening, just hours after the Australian leader's arrival in Jakarta, Prabowo made an impromptu visit to see Albanese at the hotel he was staying in what the Palace described as a gesture of 'deep respect'.
Prabowo, at the Palace the next day, also invited Albanese to visit his estate in Hambalang to go horseback riding, although that has not happened yet.
Thursday's meeting produced a joint communiqué affirming Indonesia and Australia's cooperation in various sectors, as well as a four-year plan of action for their comprehensive strategic partnership.
And while Albanese's second state visit indicates a positive sign for continued rapport, proper geopolitical synergy would still require more than good acquaintanceship, Patton said, especially given Canberra and Jakarta's differing stances on the United States-China rivalry.
Australia's security alliance with the US, for example, has on multiple occasions created friction with non-aligned Indonesia, including when Canberra failed to give Jakarta a timely heads-up before joining Aukus, a pact with the US and the United Kingdom to procure nuclear-powered submarines in what analysts suggest is a means to counter Chinese influence in the region.
Indonesia's close relations with China and Russia in both economic and security interests have also caused domestic concerns in Canberra.
'Challenges in deepening Indonesia-Australia ties will persist, [and] economic cooperation will still be an uphill battle despite the good sense,' Patton said. - The Jakarta Post/ANN

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
16 minutes ago
- The Star
Malaysia enhancing cooperation with Thailand for trade, says Liew
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is enhancing strategic cooperation with the Thai government to facilitate smoother movement of goods through northern border checkpoints, says Liew Chin Tong. The Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister said the collaboration aims to support industries such as Kedah Rubber City (KRC), which require efficient logistics to meet export demands. 'MITI remains committed to strengthening strategic cooperation with the Thai government to facilitate the movement of goods across border checkpoints, including through the Durian Burung entry point,' he told the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (July 28). Responding to a question from Nurul Amin Hamid (Perikatan–Padang Terap), Liew said the initiative involves close coordination with various ministries and agencies, including the Finance and Home Ministries, Immigration Department, Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKSEM), and the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA). However, Liew said infrastructure at the ICQS Durian Burung Complex remains insufficient to support large-scale trade, particularly for container-based operations. To address this, he said the NCIA is spearheading several initiatives, including a feasibility study for a proposed Border Economic Zone to explore economic potential in the Durian Burung area and surrounding regions. He said other efforts include cooperation under the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) and the Joint Development Strategy (JDS), which focus on sectors such as halal, logistics, rubber, and tourism. 'The JDS specifically aims to enhance connectivity and trade policy coordination, which in turn strengthens the synergy between both countries,' he said. Liew added that both sides had agreed to improve trade facilitation, including infrastructure upgrades, logistics systems, and streamlined procedures at key border crossings. 'These measures are expected to expedite customs clearance and reduce costs and turnaround time for cross-border goods movement,' he said. While acknowledging proposals to utilise Thailand's Songkhla Port as an alternative export route, Liew said the government is prioritising domestic ports such as Penang and Kuala Perlis. 'This aligns with our broader strategy to enhance the competitiveness of local ports and ensure the economic benefits reach local communities and industry players,' he said. He added that his ministry is open to studying proposals and making recommendations to the Finance Ministry to introduce incentives that would encourage higher usage of local ports by investors, particularly those setting up export-oriented manufacturing facilities.


New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Govt working with Thai counterparts to facilitate goods movement
KUALA LUMPUR: The government remains committed to strengthening strategic cooperation with the Thai Government to facilitate the movement of goods across border checkpoints, including through the Durian Burung entry point in Kedah. Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) Minister Liew Chin Tong told the Dewan Rakyat that the government was working closely with Thai counterparts to ease goods movement across the northern border and to support export needs for industries such as Kedah Rubber City. "Miti remains committed to strengthening strategic cooperation with the Thai government to facilitate the movement of goods across border checkpoints, including through the Durian Burung entry point. "This effort requires close collaboration with relevant ministries and agencies, such as the Finance Ministry, Home Ministry, the Immigration Department, the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS), and the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA)," he said in response to a question from Nurul Amin Hamid (PN-Padang Terap). Liew, however, acknowledged that the infrastructure at the ICQS Durian Burung Complex was still inadequate to support large-scale trade operations, especially those involving the use of containers. He said the government, through NCIA, was implementing several strategic initiatives, including conducting a feasibility study for a Border Economic Zone to identify potential economic opportunities that could be developed in the border area, including the KRC and surrounding regions near Durian Burung. Other initiatives include regional cooperation under the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) and the Joint Development Strategy (JDS). "These collaborations focus on development in industries such as halal, logistics, rubber, and tourism. The JDS specifically aims to enhance connectivity and international trade policies, strengthening synergy between both countries. "In addition, the Malaysian government remains committed to enhancing strategic cooperation with Thailand through existing platforms such as the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Trade Committee," he said. He added that both parties had agreed to improve trade facilitation, including upgrading infrastructure, logistics systems, and procedures at border checkpoints. These steps, he said, were expected to accelerate Customs clearance processes while reducing time and costs for cross-border goods movement. "Although there have been suggestions to use Songkhla Port in Thailand as an alternative export route, the government is currently focused on maximising the use of domestic ports, especially in Penang and Kuala Perlis. "This initiative aligns with the government's broader strategy to enhance the competitiveness of local ports, while ensuring the economic benefits are fully realised by industry players and local communities," he said. Liew added that the ministry was also open to studying and proposing recommendations to the Finance Ministry to provide various incentives aimed at increasing the usage of local ports when asked on the ministry's short-term plans to encourage investors to use domestic ports for setting up factories or exporting products abroad.


Malaysian Reserve
2 hours ago
- Malaysian Reserve
Windfall Mining Group inc. reaches a new milestone in its development in Quebec
MONTREAL, July 27, 2025 /CNW/ – Windfall Mining Group inc. (WMG), Canadian subsidiary of the global gold group Gold Fields Limited, announces today a series of key developments to support the advancement of the Windfall project and to strengthen its sustainable presence in Quebec. Set to become Canada's next major mining complex, the Windfall Project is located in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory in Québec, 115 km east of Lebel-sur-Quévillon. Second Series of Responses to COMEX and Update of Key Studies for the Advancement of the Windfall ProjectWMG confirms the continuation of the environmental assessment process through the submission of the second series of responses to COMEX questions. This revision reflects the company's ESG performance standards, adapted to Canadian and Quebec regulatory requirements. 'WMG remains committed to developing a low-carbon operation, including through its partnership with the Cree First Nation, positioning Windfall among the lowest carbon-intensity gold projects globally', said Mike Fraser, CEO of Gold Fields. 'The update of our environmental impact assessment study with the submission of this second series of responses to COMEX demonstrates our commitment to advancing the Windfall project in accordance with the best practice environmental, social, and regulatory standards.' added Andréanne Boisvert, Vice President, Environment and Community Relations. Visual Identity: The Lynx Gives Way to the LionFollowing the full acquisition of the Windfall project in 2024, WMG is adopting the corporate group's visual identity. The company's transitional logo is being replaced by that of Gold Fields, marking the integration of the project into the global Gold Fields family, which operates across four continents. 'This change reflects Gold Fields' long-term commitment to Canada and its intention to establish a sustainable strategic presence in Québec—one of the world's most respected mining jurisdictions—and across Canada', concluded Fraser. Strategic Appointment to Propel the Windfall ProjectGMW is also proud to announce the appointment of Sylvain Lessard as General Manager. A mining engineer by training, Mr. Lessard brings over 30 years of experience managing complex projects in Quebec, in Canada and internationally, particularly in the underground mining sector. Having assumed the role on June 16, 2025, Mr. Lessard brings a wealth of experience to lead operations at the site. About Gold FieldsGold Fields is a globally diversified gold producer with nine operating mines in Australia, Chile, Ghana, South Africa and Peru, and one project in Canada. Its Australian assets span the world-renowned Goldfields mining region and employ more than 3,700 people in Western Australia. Our purpose is to create enduring value beyond mining by delivering positive and sustainable value for our employees, communities, and business partners. Our shares are listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and our American depositary shares trade on the New York Exchange (NYSE). Forward-looking statementThis announcement contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this announcement may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as 'aim', 'anticipate', 'will', 'would', 'expect', 'may', 'could', 'believe', 'target', 'estimate', 'project' and words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements, including among others, those relating to Gold Fields' future business strategy, development activities (including the permitting, development and operations of the Windfall project) and other initiatives, business prospects, financial positions, production and operational guidance are necessary estimates reflecting the best judgement of the senior management of Gold Fields and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to future events and circumstances and should be considered in light of various important factors, including those set forth 3 in Gold Fields' Integrated Annual Report 2023 filed with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and annual report on Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on 28 March 2024 (SEC File no. 001-31318). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Gold Fields undertakes no obligation to update publicly or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this announcement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. These forward-looking statements have not been reviewed or reported on by the Company's external auditors