Vice Presidential Pool Reports of September 7 & 8, 2023

VP Travel #1 - Rolling

Selamat Pagi dari Jakarta!

It's VP's last day in Jakarta and press vans are rolling to the convention center from RON at 9.21 am. We are told her motorcade will be shortly behind us.

Per OVP last night she returned from gala dinner at 9.27 pm.

Her schedule again for your convenience:

At 10:15 AM WIT, the Vice President will attend the East Asia Summit. The summit, at the Jakarta Convention Center, will have a photo spray at the top.

At 3:50 PM WIT, the Vice President will depart Jakarta, Indonesia en route to Yokota Air Base, Japan. This departure will be pooled press.

VP Travel # 3 - EAS

VP entered summit hall at 10.42 am and took her seat with leaders of ASEAN and partners:

China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand. Tables were arranged in a rectangular shape with a massive display of gorgeous orchids and ferns in the middle and large ASEAN sign behind host Indonesian President Widodo.

To VP's right is PM Singapore Lee Hsien Loong, Philippines President Marcos Jr and Russian FM Lavrov. To her left are leaders of Thailand and Vietnam and one other leader I cannot make out from my vantage point.

VP was seated more or less across from Chinese premier Li Qiang. From where we were standing it did not appear that she locked eyes with him, turning her body towards Widodo at the head table almost the whole time she was seated. She did not appear to have locked eyes with Lavrov.

She interacted briefly with PM Lee and President Marcos. She was standing while interacting, taking a photo with Lee and shaking hands with Marcos.

As is the norm in ASEAN meetings since last year, Myanmar's chair is empty as but the flag is left up.

Indonesian President Widodo began remarks at 10.44, immediately and forcefully making his case in Indonesian that everyone in the room has the same responsibility to not create new conflict but to bridge differences. He implored leaders to use wisdom and maintain peace and stability in the region. He spoke in Indonesian and I am happy to translate/ provide quotes if anyone needs it.

Widodo was followed by President Mohammed Shahabuddin of Bangladesh and Cook Island PM Mark Brown in their capacity as chair of Indian Ocean Rim Association and Pacific Island Forum respectively. Those were the only three leaders who spoke during the open press portion.

Pool heard that host country was strictly limiting media access but we were able to push through with the US delegation and made it throughout the opening remarks.

At approximately 11 am Widodo announced that it was time for media to leave and begin the plenary session, and we complied.

Press vans rolled back to RON while VP and delegation remained behind. I will upload audio shortly - sound was wild/ no mult.

Big thank you to Josh Rogin for his observations of leaders in the room.

VP Travel #4 - Gala dinner meeting with Marcos & Kishida

From OVP:

Attributed to a White House official:

Yesterday, on the margins of the Gala Dinner, the Vice President met with President Marcos of the Philippines and Prime Minister Kishida of Japan. Below is a readout.

Readout of Vice President Harris's Trilateral Meeting with President Marcos of the Philippines and Prime Minister Kishida of Japan

Vice President Kamala Harris met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan yesterday in Jakarta, Indonesia. They discussed the maritime security environment in the South China Sea and East China Sea and reviewed ways in which their three countries could enhance trilateral maritime cooperation, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts. The Vice President underscored the importance of the adherence to international law, and U.S. opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo in the South China Sea and East China Sea. The Vice President, President Marcos, and Prime Minister Kishida also reaffirmed the strength of trilateral economic cooperation and discussed opportunities to bolster economic resilience, promote broad-based and sustainable economic growth, and invest in strong and diversified supply chains.

VP Travel #5- audio in box

File EAS Opening is in box. Sound is wild/ no mult. Widodo spoke in Indonesian, Shahabuddin and Brown in English.

VP Travel #7 - Japan refueling

After a motorcade mixup, pool ended up traveling on support plane, which landed at a very rainy Yokota Air Base at 2:41 AM local time.

Pool has now moved to AF2, which landed at Yokota at 2:30 AM local time.

AF2 is wheels up to Alaska refueling stop at 3:52 AM local time.

VP Travel #9 - Andrews arrival

AF2 touched down at Andrews AFB at 5:05 Eastern Daylight Time, almost two hours ahead of schedule, ending our journey around the world and back.

The VP departed via motorcade without incident and a weary staff (and press corps) was glad to back on U.S. soil.

That's a wrap.