Singapore trade, industry minister visits Jakarta

Singaporean Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang attended a meeting here Tuesday with Indonesian Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa, in a move intended to boost economic ties between the two countries.

Lim, who has been in Jakarta since Monday, discussed with Hatta the progress of six joint economic working groups between Singapore and Indonesia. The working groups were agreed upon earlier by Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during their meeting in May last year.

"The six working groups were set up to enhance bilateral economic cooperation in cruise tourism, civil aviation, manpower and agribusiness, investment and cooperation in the special economic zones (SEZs) of Batam, Bintan and Karimun (BBK) as well as other SEZs," the Singapore Trade and Industry Ministry said in a press statement.

The statement also said Lim is scheduled to meet Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Pangestu and Industry Minister MS Hidayat.