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A brief remark between two leaders has revealed a key concern about China during a formal meeting, before media observers were ushered out of the room.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto spoke about the need to “lower the temperature” with China at the end of his opening remarks to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in their formal meeting in Peru on Thursday morning, local time.
Their talks at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit canvassed the need to stop people smugglers, cooperate on defence and work together on trade, but Prabowo also acknowledged the need to manage the rise of China.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto (second from right) in Peru.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
“I am happy with the state of our security co-operation – police to police and military to military,” Prabowo said.
“We have very common problems and the context is very serious … with people smuggling.”
He added that he was trying to improve relations with all of Indonesia’s neighbours, including Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
“And some sort of management with the Chinese to de-escalate and lower the temperature,” he added, before the media were asked to leave the room.
Prabowo raised concerns in Australia and other neighbours in recent days with a statement that acknowledged “overlapping claims” in the South China Sea, which seemed to shift Indonesia’s long-standing position against China’s maritime claims in the area. But the Indonesian president clarified on Wednesday that he was not changing policy on the disputed waters.
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“We respect all powers, but we will always safeguard our sovereignty. But I choose to always find possibilities of a partnership,” Prabowo said in Washington DC after meeting United States President Joe Biden at the White House.
Prabowo also met US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington and the two discussed the South China Sea, according to a readout from the US Defence Department.
Albanese acknowledged the concerns about the South China Sea when asked about his meeting with Prabowo.
“He is looking like other nations in that part of the world, around the South China Sea, to ensure that there is peace and stability and security there, and that there is engagement and dialogue to make sure that there aren’t any incidents that can escalate quickly,” he said.
The messages from all sides appeared to indicate that Australia and Indonesia were taking similar positions on the South China Sea once again.