Jokowi to Boost Ties With Philippines During State Visit
Jakarta. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is scheduled to visit the Philippines this week to improve bilateral relations and attend the 30th Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit on Friday (28/04).
The president will be accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi. The trip is also meant to reciprocate Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's visit to Indonesia in September.
Two memoranda of understanding and a joint declaration on the establishment of a shipping line between Davao City in Southern Philippines and Bitung in North Sulawesi are expected as an outcome of the leaders' meeting.
The Davao-Bitung shipping line is going to increase trade between the two countries.
A shuttle ship, Roll On Roll Off (RORO), which can carry up to 500 containers, will operate on the route.
"We hope this will strengthen trade relations between Indonesia and the Philippines, and will reduce transport time," the Foreign Ministry's director of cooperation for Asia Pacific and Africa, Benyamin Carnadi, said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
According to Benyamin, with the new shipping line the transportation time will be twice shorter.
Trade between Indonesia and Philippine increased by 32 percent between 2015 and 2016, and was worth more than $6 billion last year.
While Indonesia mainly exports coal, motorized vehicles and spare parts, the state visit will also market products from the strategic industry, including dock landing ships.
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