WASHINGTON (AP) — Indonesia’s leader says his country intends to join a sweeping Pacific Rim trade deal involving the United States.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo is making the announcement after meeting with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office. Indonesia had previously expressed interest in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership but had not committed.
Widodo’s announcement is a positive sign for the pact that the U.S. negotiated with other countries in Asia and North America. The U.S. business community has complained that economic protectionism makes it difficult to do business in Indonesia.
Obama says he and Widodo also discussed climate change and counterterrorism against groups like the Islamic State. He says they also discussed maritime security cooperation. He’s alluding to tensions with China in the South China Sea.
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