Albanese, Jokowi enjoy symbolic bike ride

JAKARTA: A bicycle ride through a botanical garden, planting a tree in the backyard and a oneon-one meeting in a restaurant.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese did just that when they met in Bogor, West Java, on Monday, reported Antara news.

Joko, also known as Jokowi, brought Albanese on a fiveminute tour through the Bogor Botanical Gardens on a locally made bamboo-framed bicycle before planting a camphor tree.

The tree was planted by the two leaders at the back of the Bogor Presidential Palace, which is part of the botanical garden, and was broadcasted live on the Presidential Secretariat YouTube channel.

After planting the tree, Jokowi, who regularly spends his weekends in the botanical garden, invited Albanese to the restaurant Raasaa Resto for a face-to-face meeting.

Albanese, who assumed the post as Australia’s 31st prime minister on May 23, had said his three-day visit to Indonesia from Sunday emphasised the importance of bilateral relations between the two countries.

He pledged to deepen cooperation between the two countries during the visit, accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell.

“Indonesia is one of our closest neighbours, which is why I committed to visiting as soon as possible,” Albanese said in a press release before the trip.

“I look forward to building our ties further, including to revitalise our trade relationship and promote climate, infrastructure and energy cooperation.”

After the meeting with Jokowi, Albanese visited Makassar City in South Sulawesi.