Indonesian President Visits France for the Third Time This Year, Relations at Historic High

(CNA, Jakarta, 30th) Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto conducted his third visit to France this year from the 26th to the 29th, holding bilateral talks with President Emmanuel Macron in Paris and reaching several concrete commitments. Prabowo emphasized that the relationship between the two countries is at its best stage in history. According to Indonesia's Kompas newspaper today, in the field of defense and military cooperation, Macron pointed out that the arrival of the first French-made Rafale fighter jet in Indonesia symbolizes the deepening of the bilateral strategic partnership. This is a phased result of the purchase of a total of 42 Rafale jets from Dassault by Prabowo during his tenure as Defense Minister. Macron stated that the two countries will hold joint military exercises in September this year through the "Pegasus Mission," and that they have already jointly upgraded collaborative operations, joint exercises, and personnel training for the navy, army, and air force. In the field of economic trade and investment, Prabowo pointed out that the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and MEDEF International have officially established the "France-Indonesia High-Level Business Council," with the goal of tripling bilateral trade by 2035. Macron expressed support for this, calling for the acceleration of the Indonesia-EU Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA) and welcoming the deepening of joint investment cooperation between Indonesia's national investment management institution, Danantara, and the French side. In terms of education and cultural exchange, Macron stated that they would continue the cultural cooperation statement signed at the Borobudur temple last May and designate this year as the "France-Indonesia Innovation Year," comprehensively expanding cooperation in higher education and scientific research. France will also accept more Indonesian students and researchers in the future to deepen cooperation. Prabowo further explained that, looking at global future development, he has officially ordered Indonesian schools to expand the promotion of French language courses to deepen talent cultivation. Furthermore, the two sides exchanged views on geopolitics. Both leaders agreed that the stability of the Middle East directly affects the security of the global energy market and the stability of transnational supply chains. Prabowo expressed high appreciation for France's leadership in supporting the "two-state solution" to the Palestinian issue, emphasizing that without the realization of the just rights of the Palestinian people, sustainable peace cannot be achieved in the Middle East.