TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and his US counterpart Donald Trump discussed cooperation to address the dearth of medical equipment and personal protection equipment (PPE) in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both leaders discussed the need for equipment, including ventilators and masks.

"Indonesia is an important country for the United States. We need to continue to strengthen cooperation between both countries," Trump told Jokowi, as noted in a statement from the Presidential Secretariat's Press, Media, and Information Bureau received on Saturday.

President Joko Widodo held a telephonic conversation with President Donald Trump on Friday night at 8 p.m. local time from the Bogor Presidential Palace.

Trump drew attention to the fact that the US had produced ventilators and will dispatch them to Indonesia once ready. The cooperation will be followed up by the teams appointed by each respective nation.

Both leaders exchanged ideas on COVID-19 handling, and President Jokowi lauded the cooperation between Indonesia and the US in facing the global pandemic.

Both also expressed their condolences to the people of each country that died of coronavirus infection.

Furthermore, both Widodo and Trump concurred on bolstering partnership in the areas of trade and economy during the recovery phase after COVID-19 handling.

Before the telephonic discussions, President Trump had earlier penned a letter to express his condolences on the demise of President Jokowi's mother, Sujiatmi Notomiharjo.

ANTARA