I first will stop in Jakarta when we -- when we land and -- and see President Jokowi and the minister of defense there, Minister Ryamizard. This is a very strategic partnership with the third largest democracy in the world. It's the most populous Muslim nation in the world and it's the largest archipelago, stretching across the South China Sea and as you know, all the way to the Indian Ocean.
We're going to continue our efforts to maritime -- maritime cooperation, but also support Indonesia as a sort of fulcrum between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. So international trade flows through there and a democracy like this, we have a lot, obviously, to start with that we can -- that -- that gives us a basis for getting along with each other and working together.
But again, this'll be my first time in Indonesia as the secretary of defense, so I'll be doing a lot of listening. We'll move from there into Vietnam and there, some of the big issues there, just so you're thinking about what you want to ask me about there, freedom of navigation, obviously, in the South China Sea, the respect for international rule of law and respect for national sovereignty.
So we share the Pacific. It's an ocean named for peace, we would like to see it remain peaceful so all the nations that use it, that live here are -- are prosperous. Very vibrant and diverse region, but it can be made safe for prosperity and for large nations and small without sacrificing any -- anything in terms of national equities. So that's why we're -- why I'm going out there.
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