Jakarta, June 2 -- President Prabowo Subianto's overseas visits are intended to strengthen ties with world leaders and safeguard Indonesia's interests during a period of global uncertainty, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said.

His remarks responded to comments by former deputy foreign minister Dino Patti Djalal, who questioned the frequency of Prabowo's foreign travel since taking office.

"We need to cultivate good relationships so that if an emergency arises, we can rely on each other for assistance," Teddy said in a video posted on the Cabinet Secretariat's official social media account on Monday.

Teddy said the president follows an annual agenda while also responding to urgent domestic and international developments as global ...