VP Biden Underscores Importance of Relations with Indonesia

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Vice President of the United States Joseph Biden has highlighted the importance of relations between the United States and Indonesia.

While receiving Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at his official residence in Washington D.C. on Tuesday (Wednesday in Indonesia), Biden remarked that Indonesia has a strategic value for the United States.

Biden invited Jokowi for lunch at his official residence.

Foreign Affairs Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi said Biden praised Indonesia as a large country that can efficiently hold elections and also lauded the efforts undertaken by President Jokowi to combat corruption.

In addition, Marsudi said Biden believed that Indonesia has a strategic value for the United States as it is a country, with the largest Muslim population, that will have a strong influence in the future.

The minister added that President Jokowi told Biden that cooperative relations between the two countries have been going well, but cooperation in some sectors still needs to be improved. (WDY)