Photo: MOHD RASFAN/AFP/Getty Images
The last week saw a spate of leader-level intraregional visits and deepened bilateral relationships between Indonesia and Australia, Indonesia and Thailand, and Thailand and Vietnam. The symbolism of these deepening regional partnerships is noteworthy given the uncertainty fueled by U.S.-China strategic competition and the global trade war.
On May 15, Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese visited Jakarta for talks with Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto focusing on defense cooperation and global trade. In his first trip since winning reelection in Australia’s recent elections, Albanese stressed the importance of the two neighbors’ bilateral relationship. He affirmed Australia’s support for the Defense Cooperation Agreement Canberra and Jakarta signed last year, and for Indonesia’s bids to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The latter is especially important as Jakarta seeks to project balance in its foreign relations after joining the BRICS grouping earlier this year. The trip also followed public allegations that Indonesia was considering a Russian request for air basing rights in its eastern Papua province. Indonesian defense minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has denied those claims and Prime Minister Albanese declined to comment on the reports during a joint press conference with President Prabowo.
A day later, Thai prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra visited Hanoi for a Thailand-Vietnam Joint Cabinet Retreat—the first in 20 years—which she co-hosted with Vietnamese prime minister Pham Minh Chinh. The two agreed to upgrade bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and will finalize a Strategic Plan of Action for the new partnership by the end of the year. Paetongtarn and Chinh also agreed to boost bilateral trade to $25 billion by 2030, up from about $20.2 billion last year, with a focus on clean energy, digital economy, and high-tech agriculture. Thailand and Vietnam agreed to improve digital economy cooperation and better facilitate cross-border QR payments, and committed to jointly combat transnational crime, expand maritime security cooperation, and deepen exchanges.
Upon returning to Bangkok, Paetongtarn on May 18 hosted Indonesia’s Prabowo for a state visit to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. They formally upgraded the Thailand-Indonesia relationship to a strategic partnership, vowing to improve cooperation in trade, tourism, and food security. Prabowo and Paetongtarn also discussed strengthening maritime security cooperation, enhancing cybersecurity cooperation, and bolstering joint counterterrorism efforts. And in an effort to bolster economic ties, Paetongtarn announced that Thailand would host the first Joint Trade Committee between the two countries this year to identify areas for cooperation. Prabowo also pledged Indonesia’s support for Thailand’s bid to join BRICS.
Japhet Quitzon is an Associate Fellow for the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C.
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