Jokowi Leaves for Beijing on First Foreign Visit

Jakarta Globe, Robertus Wardhy,  Nov 08, 2014

President Joko Widodo and the First Lady depart for Beijing on Nov. 8.
(Antara Photo/Andika Wahyu)

Jakarta. President Joko Widodo departed for Beijing on Saturday to meet with Chinese premier Xi Jinping and attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in the first leg of an official trip which will see the president visit three countries.

Joko departed from Halim Perdanakusuma International in South Jakarta to fly to Beijing to attend APEC, which takes places over Nov. 10-11.

Joko was accompanied by First Lady Iriana Wibowo, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Lestari Priansariarsudi, Coordinating Minister of the Econony Sofyan Djalil, Minister of Finance Bambang Brodjonegoro and Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto.

On his first trip abroad since he was elected president, Joko will also meet with US president Barack Obama and Russian president Vladimir Putin on the side of the summit.

The president is expected to deliver a speech focusing on Indonesia’s maritime role in the region.

Joko will then fly to the Association of the Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) summit in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar from Nov. 13 to 14 and to the G-20 summit in Brisbane, Australia from Nov.15 to 16.