President Joko Widodo is set to meet with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Singapore on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 6-7, for the Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat and celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations.
The celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Singapore, which falls on Thursday, is known as RISING50, an amalgamation of ‘RI’ for the Republic of Indonesia and ‘SING’ for Singapore.
According to a report by Channel News Asia, President Widodo and PM Loong will plant a Sunda oak tree, which is native to both Singapore and Indonesia, in the Learning Forest at the Singapore Botanic Gardens to mark the diplomatic anniversary.
After that, the leaders will unveil a joint stamp issue and launch a RISING50 commemorative book at the Istana and also witness a joint flypast by the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Indonesian Air Force, as well as a combined military band performance at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore.
A media statement by the Singapore Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said that the military show highlights “close working relationship and excellent defence ties” that the two militaries have built up over the decades.
The PMO further stated that the leaders will exchange views on regional and international developments, review the progress of bilateral relations and explore new areas for cooperation across multiple sectors, including in economic collaboration, security cooperation, and cultural exchanges.
The leaders will also follow up on discussions from their last retreat – held in Semarang, Indonesia in November 2016 – in the areas of energy, digital economy, tourism and skills training and sign several memoranda of understanding to enhance collaboration in these areas.