U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday that Washington will work with Indonesia on the South China Sea in a “new way,” and he paid tribute to Jakarta for guarding its waters against China’s “illegal” bid for sovereignty in the region, calling the Indonesian initiative a model for the region.
Pompeo moved from the Maldives to Indonesia, where he met with Indonesian Foreign Minister Malusudi. Pompeo praised Indonesia’s decisive action to defend its sovereignty in the waters around the Natuna Islands, and criticized China’s claim to the area, describing it as an illegal act and expecting the United States and Indonesia to cooperate to ensure the safety of maritime trade routes.
Mr. Marsudi said he hoped for stability and peace in the South China Sea and for all stakeholders to respect international law.
Mr. Pompeo will later meet with Indonesian President Joko Widodo to address Islamic youth groups. In addition, Pompeo decided at the last minute to add a stop in Vietnam, where he is expected to arrive in Hanoi later Thursday for a two-day visit as the last leg of his Asia tour. Before embarking on the “Asia Pullout,” Pompeo made it clear that the main purpose of the trip was to forge an alliance against the Chinese Communist threat.
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