Amanda Hodge, Jakarta – Indonesian President Joko Widodo has opened the door to joint Indonesian-Australian patrols of the South China Sea, telling The Australian in an exclusive interview ahead of his first state visit tomorrow that he will discuss the issue with Malcolm Turnbull.
Mr Joko also hinted that a part suspension of military ties, imposed last month by his defence chief, would be lifted following the annual leaders' talks.
And he moved to reassure Australians that Indonesia's tolerant, pluralist traditions were etched "in our DNA", notwithstanding a polarising Jakarta election fought along race and religious lines and the concurrent trial of the city's ethnic Chinese, Christian governor on what many see as political-motivated blasphemy charges.
The Indonesian leader known popularly as Jokowi said he saw joint Australian-Indonesian patrols in the South China Sea, potentially around Indonesia's own Natuna Islands at the southern edge of the waters, as "very important" – as long as they did not raise tensions in the region.
"It depends. If there is tension like last year it's difficult to decide this program," he said. "But if there is no tension I think it's very important to have the patrols together. We will discuss this with PM Turnbull."
Indonesian naval vessels clashed at least three times with Chinese poachers fishing in the resource-rich waters around its Natuna Islands last year. While Beijing makes no claims over the Natuna Islands it does insist the waters surrounding them are part of historical Chinese fishing grounds, as marked in its "nine-dash line" map, which claims about 90 per cent of the South China Sea.
An agreement between Australia and Indonesia to conduct joint patrols through the disputed waters of one of the world's busiest and most valuable shipping lanes – one critical to Australian trade – would be a huge coup for the federal government, which has been lobbying Jakarta over the issue as it seeks closer defence co-operation with Indonesia.
It would also be emphatic evidence that defence relations between the two neighbours sustained no permanent damage from last month's defence stoush.
Indonesia's ultra-nationalist military chief Gatot Nurmantyo suspended a language training course over concerns at teaching materials, said to have included an essay question asking students to discuss whether West Papua should be an independent state.
The incident tapped deep-seated resentment within some quarters of the Indonesian military at Australia's support for East Timor's independence, and lingering fears it might one day also support a long-running liberation movement in West Papua.
General Gatot accepted a personal apology this month from Australian Army chief Angus Campbell but has not yet lifted the suspension. Mr Jokowi said the issue underlined Australia and Indonesia's ability to work through their differences. Asked if the suspension would be lifted before his visit tomorrow he replied; "I think after I discuss (it) with PM Turnbull.... I believe that we can build mutual trust and understanding."
He repeatedly emphasised his warm friendship with Mr Turnbull, whose November 2015 visit to Jakarta is seen to have reset a relationship battered by successive knocks over the executions earlier that year of Bali Nine leaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukamaran, Tony Abbott's 2014 boat turn-back policy, and the 2013 WikiLeaks revelations that Australia spied on former Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and senior ministers.
"You know, we understand each other. We come from the same background, business," Mr Jokowi said of Mr Turnbull.
"We want to achieve concrete things with PM Turnbull; not only trade, but trade, investment and tourism. We must work harder to strengthen (the economic relationship) because investment from Australia is still very low if we compare with the other countries."
Indonesia currently lags as Australia's 13th-largest trading partner, with Australian direct investment in Indonesia of just $5.5 billion in 2015-16.
Improving trade and investment would help the relationship, Mr Jokowi said. He added that he was confident the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement could be concluded by December. But he was lukewarm on Australian attempts to revive the Trans-Pacific Partnership multi-lateral trade deal after US President Donald Trump scrapped it.
This weekend's trip will be a truncated version of the previous schedule. He will meet with Mr Turnbull and senior ministers, business leaders and Indonesian students, and have lunch with the Governor-General on Sunday before flying home.
Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir said yesterday it would be a "special" visit, marked with a private dinner at Mr Turnbull's Point Piper mansion.
"The visit will be special. Unlike other state visits, the President has been invited by Prime Minister Turnbull for a private dinner at his residence. So there will only be the President, the first lady, the Prime Minister and his spouse. This shows how close the two leaders are," Mr Nasir said.