Leaders of Indonesia, Singapore meet over ties, cooperation

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (R) meets with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Bogor Palace in West Java, Indonesia, April 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Zulkarnain)

JAKARTA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo met with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Bogor Palace in West Java on Monday at the yearly Indonesia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat 2024 meeting.

"This is the 7th Leaders' Retreat and is a strong signal for the continuity of cooperation between the two countries, Singapore and Indonesia," Widodo stated in a joint press conference.

Widodo expressed his satisfaction with the implementation of the defense and extradition agreements and discussed investment opportunities, including in the green economy sector and the textile industry.

The Singaporean prime minister said his country recorded significant progress in defense and economic cooperation with Indonesia, including the signing of an agreement on defense and digital economic cooperation.

He highlighted Indonesia's beneficial economic contribution to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and underlined the nation's significance for the stability and prosperity of the region.