Aligning with Australia and not its giant Asian neighbor is a major step for Indonesia, which is the second-most populous country in the region and has been trying to provide aid and build alliances with smaller Pacific countries.
Indonesia last year said it would establish diplomatic relations with several Pacific island nations, pursue trade deals with Fiji and Papua New Guinea and create a 3 trillion rupiah ($219.06 million) fund to provide development aid or disaster relief to smaller countries.
The country wants a larger role, Widodo said, as the Pacific increasingly becomes the focus of diplomacy, aid and military investment by Western powers trying to counter China.
