Rising 50: Singapore to Strengthen Cooperation With Indonesia
Jakarta. Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said on Thursday (10/08), during the city-state's 52nd National Day celebration in Jakarta, that his country is committed to continuing partnerships with Indonesia that will benefit both countries.
"Singapore and Indonesia have strong commitments for more cooperation, we hope this strong relationship will usher both countries toward more prosperity and development," Chee Hean said during his opening remarks at the event.
The Singaporean National Day is observed on Aug. 9.
The deputy prime minister added Singapore seeks to enhance business ties and people-to-people relations, which already includes regular exchanges between the countries' business leaders and government officials.
Last year, Singaporean investments in Indonesia amounted to more than $13 billion, which means the tiny city-state remains Indonesia's largest source of foreign investment.
Kendal Industrial Park, a joint venture between Singapore's Sembcorp Development and Indonesia’s industrial estate developer Jababeka, is an example of a strong Indonesia-Singapore partnership, according to the deputy prime minister.
He said total investment in the industrial park — located in Semarang, Central Java — has reached $360 million. It has also provided jobs for around 4,000 Indonesians.
This is Chee Hean's second visit to Indonesia this year, part of a series of high-level visits by officials from both countries to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Singapore.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will commemorate the milestone on Sept. 7, when the two leaders meet for the annual Leader's Retreat in Singapore.
"Rising 50" has been adopted as the tagline for the anniversary — an acronym of "Republic of Indonesia and Singapore — 50 years."
"We hope this relationship, based on mutual trust and understanding, will continue to broaden and deepen in the future," Singapore's Ambassador to Indonesia Anil Kumal Nayar, said.
Indonesia and Singapore are close partners in promoting regional peace and stability, and have worked together on various regional and multilateral platforms as well.
Both countries are also founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
"A conducive regional environment has allowed both countries to tap the peace dividend and to grow together, including by leveraging each other’s potential for mutual benefit and to strengthen a solid foundation for mutual cooperation," Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto said.
Airlangga added strong cooperation is ever more crucial in the new era of digital economy and the Internet of Things, which offer a variety of challenges, including cyberterrorism.
"There is no other option for both countries except to continue working together in a spirit of partnership," Airlangga said.
Tags: Keywords: