Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez will travel to Tokyo, Japan on July 10, followed by travel to Jakarta, Indonesia on July 14. In support of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy, Under Secretary Fernandez will highlight cooperation on accelerating the energy transition and diversifying critical mineral supply chains, as well as collaboration with the private sector to advance U.S. economic engagement in the region.
In Tokyo, Under Secretary Fernandez will meet with key partners in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to make further progress on critical minerals supply chain resilience and build on the successes of the Minerals Security Partnership. In bilateral meetings they will consider continued collaboration on graphite projects and potential efforts on gallium and germanium – minerals that enable clean energy technologies. Their meetings will also cover economic support for Ukraine amidst Russia’s illegal war.
Following his meetings in Tokyo, Under Secretary Fernandez will travel to Jakarta for engagements highlighting 75 years of diplomatic relations between the United States and Indonesia. Under Secretary Fernandez will emphasize the United States as Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s largest source of foreign direct investments and U.S. efforts to promote economic growth across Southeast Asia. He will also seek to further grow the U.S.-Indonesia bilateral economic relationship under our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, including advancing cooperation on critical mineral supply chains and the energy transition with his Indonesian counterparts.
