Jokowi Urges Australia: Take 'Concrete Action' To Ease US-China Conflict

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) announced that he would urge Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to take “concrete action” to maintain peace in the so-called Indo-Pacific in a regional push against escalating US-China tensions. Jokowi made his first trip to Australia this past week. He unfortunately withdrew his opposition to Australia joining the AUKUS deal linking the Aussies to the U.S.-UK military pact, but claimed that he wants his “close friend” Albanese to use such groupings to engage, not contain, China, and to help maintain stability in the “very strategic” Indo-Pacific region against growing rivalries between Washington and Beijing.