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Cameron to meet Indonesia's President Widodo as part of south-east Asia tour Cameron to meet Indonesia's President Widodo as part of south-east Asia tour
(about 9 hours later)
David Cameron is set to meet President Joko Widodo in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Monday at the start of an overseas tour. Among the objectives of the trip are a number of trade deals, deeper counter-terrorism co-operation and the underlining of Cameron’s claim that Britain is back as a major player on the world stage. David Cameron begins a tour of south-east Asia on Monday, in a trade-and-diplomacy mission designed to extend Britain’s influence beyond the EU.
Among the objectives of the trip are a number of trade deals, deeper counter-terrorism co-operation and the underlining of Cameron’s claim that Britain is back as a major player on the world stage.
Cameron, who is being accompanied by a small group of ministers and about 30 businesspeople, is due to meet President Joko Widodo in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Monday.
The emphasis in the four-day tour is certain to be on trade rather than human rights. Widodo has been criticised by Human Rights Watch for going back on promises he made at the time of his election in 2014, including over religious and press freedom, as well as gay rights.The emphasis in the four-day tour is certain to be on trade rather than human rights. Widodo has been criticised by Human Rights Watch for going back on promises he made at the time of his election in 2014, including over religious and press freedom, as well as gay rights.
The prime minister is understood to be taking greater interest in stabilising Libya as part of his counter-terrorism drive, and is likely to discuss what can be done to close Isis terror bases in Libya. Cameron is mainly looking at political efforts to stabilise the country, but is willing to step up military training.The prime minister is understood to be taking greater interest in stabilising Libya as part of his counter-terrorism drive, and is likely to discuss what can be done to close Isis terror bases in Libya. Cameron is mainly looking at political efforts to stabilise the country, but is willing to step up military training.
The tour will also take him to Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia, and will be seen as a bid to extend British influence beyond the EU, but also beyond China and South Korea, two countries he visited in his first term of office. He is being accompanied by a small group of ministers, including Lord Maude, the former Cabinet Office minister, as well as about 30 businesspeople.The tour will also take him to Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia, and will be seen as a bid to extend British influence beyond the EU, but also beyond China and South Korea, two countries he visited in his first term of office. He is being accompanied by a small group of ministers, including Lord Maude, the former Cabinet Office minister, as well as about 30 businesspeople.
The trip marks the first visit by a British prime minister to the headquarters of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in Jakarta, and the first visit by a British prime minister to Vietnam. Cameron will use the tour to send a message to the EU that a trade deal with the 10-member Asean needs to be speeded up. He is due to meet Asean’s secretary-general, Le Luong Minh, on Monday. A deal between the two trading blocs has the potential to benefit the UK economy by £3bn a year – nearly £120 per household – by creating one of the biggest free trade areas in the world with combined GDP of more than $20tn. Cameron is frustrated that Australia, Japan and China are ahead of the game, having implemented free trade deals with south-east Asia. The trip marks the first visit by a British prime minister to the headquarters of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in Jakarta, and the first visit by a British prime minister to Vietnam. Cameron will use the tour to send a message to the EU that a trade deal with the 10-member Asean needs to be speeded up. He is due to meet Asean’s secretary-general, Le Luong Minh, on Monday.
A deal between the two trading blocs has the potential to benefit the UK economy by £3bn a year – nearly £120 per household – by creating one of the biggest free trade areas in the world with combined GDP of more than $20tn. Cameron is frustrated that Australia, Japan and China are ahead of the game, having implemented free trade deals with south-east Asia.
As China climbs the value chain, making higher-cost products, it is predicted that low-cost manufacturing will move south towards the Mekong delta and the rest of south-east Asia.As China climbs the value chain, making higher-cost products, it is predicted that low-cost manufacturing will move south towards the Mekong delta and the rest of south-east Asia.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Cameron said: “Over the next 20 years, 90% of global growth is expected to come from outside Europe, and Britain must be poised to take advantage.” The prime minister has set the Tory government a target of increasing UK exports to £1tn a year and to get 100,000 more UK companies exporting by 2020. The south-east Asian economies, which are estimated to grow by 5% this year, have the potential to unlock huge opportunities for jobs and growth in the UK.Speaking ahead of the visit, Cameron said: “Over the next 20 years, 90% of global growth is expected to come from outside Europe, and Britain must be poised to take advantage.” The prime minister has set the Tory government a target of increasing UK exports to £1tn a year and to get 100,000 more UK companies exporting by 2020. The south-east Asian economies, which are estimated to grow by 5% this year, have the potential to unlock huge opportunities for jobs and growth in the UK.
Cameron has tried to give the tour a “One Nation, Northern Powerhouse” brand by ensuring that the 31 business representatives accompanying him come from every region in the UK. Deals worth over £750m creating 270 new jobs across the UK are set to be sealed this week.Cameron has tried to give the tour a “One Nation, Northern Powerhouse” brand by ensuring that the 31 business representatives accompanying him come from every region in the UK. Deals worth over £750m creating 270 new jobs across the UK are set to be sealed this week.
The government also plans to make available up to £1bn of finance infrastructure projects in Indonesia through its export guarantee scheme. This financing could pave the way for growth of £200m worth of exports to the UK. Projects up for grabs include a sewage treatment system in Jakarta worth £400m and geothermal power projects worth £66m.The government also plans to make available up to £1bn of finance infrastructure projects in Indonesia through its export guarantee scheme. This financing could pave the way for growth of £200m worth of exports to the UK. Projects up for grabs include a sewage treatment system in Jakarta worth £400m and geothermal power projects worth £66m.
It is suggested that European investors are paying renewed attention to south-east Asia as the Greek crisis and China’s stock market rout have led companies to look for cheaper and more stable markets. The EU is the largest investor in the region and the region’s biggest trading partner after China, according to the European Commission’s annual trade and investment publication, released last week. Global trade has slowed in the past few years after decades of growth, according to the International Monetary Fund.It is suggested that European investors are paying renewed attention to south-east Asia as the Greek crisis and China’s stock market rout have led companies to look for cheaper and more stable markets. The EU is the largest investor in the region and the region’s biggest trading partner after China, according to the European Commission’s annual trade and investment publication, released last week. Global trade has slowed in the past few years after decades of growth, according to the International Monetary Fund.
As well as trade, Cameron will discuss the threat of terrorism at his meetings with Widodo in Jakarta and with Najib Razak, prime minister of Malaysia. Around 500 people from Indonesia – which has the world’s largest Muslim population – and 200 from Malaysia are thought to have joined Isis in Iraq and Syria. Isis and affiliated terror groups have been pumping out propaganda in local languages, and support for them is thought to be growing.As well as trade, Cameron will discuss the threat of terrorism at his meetings with Widodo in Jakarta and with Najib Razak, prime minister of Malaysia. Around 500 people from Indonesia – which has the world’s largest Muslim population – and 200 from Malaysia are thought to have joined Isis in Iraq and Syria. Isis and affiliated terror groups have been pumping out propaganda in local languages, and support for them is thought to be growing.