WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Jim Mattis met with Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan at the Pentagon yesterday to discuss maritime security challenges and defense cooperation, chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White said.

Mattis and Pandjaitan exchanged views on the regional maritime security environment in Southeast Asia, discussed cooperation on countering violent extremism from groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and addressed the threat posed by returning foreign fighters, White said in a statement summarizing the meeting.

Continued Cooperation

"Secretary Mattis relayed his appreciation for the broad range of U.S.-Indonesian defense cooperation and encouraged Indonesia's continuing contributions to regional maritime security," White said.

"They emphasized continued cooperation in maritime domain awareness and information sharing to combat transnational threats," she added. "They also discussed the importance of supporting Indonesia's defense modernization efforts through strengthening bilateral training, interoperability, and defense trade."