Prabowo’s Global Debut: Indonesia President On First Foreign Tour To China And US

Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto will embark on his inaugural foreign tour next month, visiting China and the United States, as reported by local media on Tuesday. The 73-year-old former general, who took office on October 20, aims to enhance Jakarta’s role on the global stage while maintaining the country’s long-standing non-aligned foreign policy.

According to the newspaper Kompas, Prabowo’s tour will include stops in China, the United States, Peru, Brazil, and the United Kingdom. His visit to Beijing is scheduled for November 8, where he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang. Following this, he will head to Washington for discussions with US President Joe Biden, although the specific date of this meeting has yet to be confirmed. Notably, the US election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is set for November 5, just days before Prabowo’s departure from Indonesia.

Once a general under the late Suharto regime, Prabowo was previously banned from entering the US due to concerns over his human rights record in Indonesia and East Timor, a ban that was lifted by the Trump administration in subsequent years.

The Indonesian president’s itinerary will also take him to Peru for a meeting with President Dina Boluarte and participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Lima. His tour will conclude with attendance at the G20 summit in Brazil and a meeting with King Charles III and Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the United Kingdom.

While the presidential palace has not confirmed the details of Prabowo’s visits, a spokesperson indicated that the central focus will be on cooperation and efforts to enhance the welfare of each nation. Since winning the election in February, Prabowo has demonstrated a more proactive foreign policy approach, contrasting with his predecessor Joko Widodo, who prioritized domestic issues such as the economy.