Enviro News Asia, Washington, D.C. — Indonesia strengthened efforts to expand cooperation with several US states during a meeting with members of the US Congress in Washington, D.C. on March 17, 2026.
The meeting was facilitated by Kevin Rudd, who brought together Indonesian Ambassador Indroyono Soesilo with US lawmakers to discuss opportunities for deeper collaboration in trade, energy, and regional geopolitics.
Participants included Tammy Duckworth, Joe Wilson, Pat Harrigan, Eugene Vindman, Carol Miller, Ed Case, and Michael McCaul, representing states including Illinois, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Hawaii, and Texas.
During the discussions, US lawmakers acknowledged that Indonesia’s strategic importance—both as Southeast Asia’s largest economy and a major democratic nation—remains underrecognized at the state level in the United States. They expressed commitment to increasing awareness and strengthening ties between Indonesia and their respective states.
Senator Duckworth highlighted opportunities in agricultural trade, particularly soybean exports, and proposed collaboration in biomass energy and clean coal technologies, including potential use of research facilities such as Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois.
Representative Wilson emphasized expanding trade between South Carolina and Indonesia, including cotton exports to Indonesia and textile exports to the US, and expressed willingness to co-chair the Indonesia Caucus in Congress.
Discussions with Representative Harrigan focused on strengthening cooperation in the furniture industry, particularly through engagement with the global furniture hub in High Point, North Carolina, where Indonesian products are regularly showcased.
Representatives Vindman and Miller supported expanding partnerships in manufacturing, agriculture, textiles, and furniture with Virginia and West Virginia, while Representative McCaul highlighted opportunities to deepen collaboration in the oil and gas sector between Texas and Indonesia.
Ambassador Indroyono also underscored the potential for cooperation in critical minerals and rare earth elements, noting the expertise of Texas A&M University in materials science and metallurgy.
Representative Case reaffirmed Hawaii’s strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region, highlighting opportunities for collaboration through institutions such as the East-West Center and the Indo-Pacific Command.
The meeting concluded with Ambassador Indroyono expressing appreciation to Ambassador Kevin Rudd for facilitating the engagement and acknowledging his upcoming transition to a new diplomatic role. (*)
