Joko Widodo

This is already turning out to be another week of dramatic political developments in the United States. But in Southeast Asia, there is drama of a different kind as the president there begins his second term.

Still under pressure from student demonstrators protesting Indonesia’s proposed new criminal code, President Joko Widodo dropped a political bombshell yesterday when he told reporters he would be willing to meet with pro-independence leaders in West Papua.

Thousands of people have been protesting against the government in one of Asia’s largest cities this week. These demonstrations are not in Hong Kong, but in the capital city of Indonesia. 

Climate change is affecting various parts of the world differently, and many of the initial impacts are in the Asia Pacific. That includes Indonesia, which has announced plans to move its national capital.

While politicians in the United States continue to focus on the partial government shutdown, in some parts of the world attention is shifting to upcoming elections. That includes Southeast Asia . . . where one presidential contest appears headed for a rematch.

As you’ve been hearing on NPR, there’s a lot of attention swirling around a potential summit meeting between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But another top-level meeting in Asia this week may also have significant strategic importance. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

The President of Indonesia met with a group of civic leaders from West Papua last month to discuss opening a dialogue on problems in the restive province. The group did not include representatives of the United Liberation Movement, which issued a statement that rejected the overture. We have more from Neal Conan in today’s Pacific News Minute.

This is a busy week for the international profile of Indonesia.  The president has hosted the British Prime Minister and made his first state visit to Singapore. But the activity also underlines some of the challenges facing the biggest economy in Southeast Asia.  HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.