British Foreign Minister To Visit Indonesia In Southeast Asia 'Tour'

DOCUMENTATION VIA ANTARA/Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (right) met with British Foreign Minister Liz Truss on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York (ANTARA/HO-KBRI London/am)

JAKARTA - British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will fly to Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia on a week-long visit to Southeast Asia aimed at deepening economic and security ties with the region.

The visit, which starts on Sunday, reflects "the growing importance of economic and diplomatic ties", as Britain seeks to strengthen ties with countries and regions outside Europe after leaving the European Union (Brexit).

"I want to position the UK where future growth lies and to think about who our key partners will be in 2050 and beyond," Truss said in a statement released by her office.

"Southeast Asia will be the engine of the global economy and I want the UK to be a part of that, enhancing our economic and security ties reflecting the growing importance of the region," she said.

The UK Foreign Office said Truss would seek to build closer links in infrastructure investment to the region.

She will meet leaders and foreign ministers in Malaysia and Thailand, with topics of discussion covering defense and trade cooperation, as well as digital and technology investment and deeper security collaboration.

Truss will also hold talks on foreign policy issues such as Myanmar and Afghanistan with her Indonesian counterpart, and seek closer ties on counterterrorism and cybersecurity.