Indonesian President asks Australia to become full member of ASEAN

Sydney, March 16: Indonesian President Joko Widodo has asked Australia to become a full member of the Association of South East Asian Nations, ASEAN.

In an interview with an Australian Newspaper, Widodo said that his country is keen on Canberra playing a bigger regional role in defense, trade and security matters.

Widodo's comments come as ASEAN- Australia special summit takes place in Sydney, in the backdrop of China increasingly flexing its muscle and the threat of violent extremism grows.

Australia has been a dialogue partner of ASEAN, which groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, since 1974. They began biennial leaders' summits in 2016, with the first in Vientiane.

In a report last month, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute argued that Canberra should aim for ASEAN membership by 2024 -- its 50th anniversary of being a partner -- and use the Sydney summit as a launch pad.

Meanwhile, Indonesia's Defence Minister, Ryamizard Ryacudu pushed for Southeast Asian countries to carry out maritime patrols in the disputed South China Sea.

Speaking to media in Sydney ahead of the summit, he said that this will improve the security situation in the area.

In the South China Sea Indonesia clash with China over fishing rights around the Natuna Islands and expansion of Chinese military presence in the area.