New Zealand’s Key visits Indonesia in bid to boost economic ties

New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key met on Monday with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Jakarta during a twoday visit aiming to boost economic ties.

Key was greeted by the Indonesian leader in an official welcoming ceremony at Merdeka Palace in the capital, and the two are scheduled to attend a state dinner tonight, an epa journalist reports.

The New Zealand leader is being accompanied by Trade Minister Todd McClay and a senior business delegation as they seek to improve trade connections with the Southeast Asian country, the 11th largest export market for the Pacific nation.

“Our twoway trade currently sits at NZ$1.6 billion ($1.14 billion), and we’re keen to explore ways to meet the target set by the two countries last year to boost trade to NZ$4 billion by 2024,” McClay said in a statement.

The New Zealand delegation will discuss areas of economic cooperation including agriculture, tourism and education with their Indonesian counterparts, before attending an ASEANNew Zealand business forum in the capital, the Jakarta Post newspaper reported.

Key and Widodo will also sign three memorandums of understanding on renewable energy, tourism, and unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing.