Prabowo Seeks Deeper Ties with New Zealand, Plans to Send Indonesian Medical Students

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GYEONGJU, Investortrust.id — President Prabowo Subianto meets Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand on Friday, Oct 31, 2025, at the Lahan Select Hotel in Gyeongju, South Korea, on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Summit. The two leaders discuss ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in trade, agriculture, education, and human-capital development, reaffirming the comprehensive partnership forged between the two nations since 2018.

President Prabowo underscores that bilateral trade between Indonesia and New Zealand has grown nearly 10% annually over the past five years, reaching about US$ 1.91 billion in 2024. He emphasizes that both sides can still achieve greater progress through stronger collaboration.

“Our bilateral trade has increased consistently for five years, almost ten percent each year, but I believe we can do even better. We have worked well together in many sectors, and I hope this partnership will continue to grow,” Prabowo says.

Prime Minister Luxon echoes Prabowo’s optimism, highlighting the importance of advancing regional and bilateral frameworks that already link both economies. He thanks Indonesia for supporting the elevation of the ASEAN–New Zealand relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).

“Let me express our appreciation for Indonesia’s support in raising ASEAN’s CSP with New Zealand. We value that greatly. With the ASEAN CSP, RCEP, and the updated ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, we now have strong regional mechanisms to accelerate what we discussed in Peru last year on how to deepen trade between our two countries,” Luxon says.

Beyond trade, Prabowo stresses the importance of people-to-people exchange, particularly in education and workforce skills. He announces Indonesia’s intention to send more medical and dental students to New Zealand’s universities, citing the nation’s urgent need for healthcare professionals.

“We want to send more students to study medicine and dentistry. Indonesia needs more doctors and dentists,” Prabowo says after the meeting.

The Indonesian leader also calls on New Zealand to help train Indonesian migrant workers by providing English teachers to improve their communication skills before working abroad. He says language proficiency will be crucial to improving Indonesian workers’ competitiveness and welfare overseas.

“I asked if New Zealand could send English teachers to help us. We want to establish more schools and English courses for our migrant workers. Language is very important, and we are discussing this,” he adds.

Prabowo highlights that educational and agricultural cooperation with New Zealand has already made tangible progress, and he seeks to strengthen both sectors. He also emphasizes the need for experience-sharing and skills transfer to enhance Indonesia’s human-capital capabilities.

The meeting, held in a warm and friendly atmosphere, builds upon the rapport established during Prabowo’s previous meeting with Luxon at the APEC Summit in Peru in November 2024. At that time, both leaders had reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing mutual prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

“We are in the same region and share common values and interests. I want to reaffirm our commitment to maintaining and deepening this relationship, strengthening cooperation and friendship between our two countries,” Prabowo says.

Both leaders agree to continue pursuing concrete initiatives that directly benefit the people of Indonesia and New Zealand while contributing to regional stability. Discussions also touch on current geopolitical tensions, with Prabowo emphasizing Indonesia’s consistent stance on promoting peace and reducing global conflict.

“We are trying to lower tensions and calm the situation,” he remarks.