Strengthening Bonds: Sugiono and US Secretary of State Chart Strategic Future

Washington: The governments of Indonesia and the United States (US) have affirmed their strong commitment to continue expanding the strategic partnership between the two countries in various fields, from politics-security, trade to investment. This was conveyed in a bilateral meeting between Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on April 16, 2025 in Washington D.C.

This meeting was a follow-up to the telephone communication between the two Ministers of Foreign Affairs in January 2025.

In the meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono conveyed various priorities and programs of President Prabowo Subianto's Asta Cita, including food and energy security, downstreaming, and human resource development.

A number of these priorities open up opportunities for concrete work with the US Government.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono also encouraged the strengthening of RI-US economic cooperation, including in the context of the supply chain, by inviting US investors to invest in the critical mineral sector, such as nickel, and other important sectors.

"The Indonesian government has taken many deregulation steps to facilitate and create a conducive situation for foreign investors," said Foreign Minister Sugiono in a statement quoted from Kemlu.go.id, Thursday, April 17, 2025.

The US Secretary of State said that the momentum for the meeting and strengthening of bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and the US is currently very appropriate amidst global geopolitical dynamics.

In addition, the two Foreign Ministers also discussed regional and global issues, such as the South China Sea and Palestine, and emphasized the importance of prioritizing the spirit of cooperation and dialogue in creating stability and peace in the region.

The arrival of Foreign Minister Sugiono is the first step for Indonesia to negotiate the tariffs issued by Donald Trump. Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto has left for the US to negotiate Trump's tariffs. Previously, Donald Trump announced a basic import tariff of 10 percent for more than 180 countries on April 2, 2025.