Indonesian and Singaporean Ministers Discuss Bilateral Cooperation in Technology
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto met with Singaporean Manpower Minister Tan See Leng on Wednesday to discuss enhancing bilateral cooperation in technology and human resource development. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) 2nd Ministerial Meeting.
The discussions focused on the Tech Programme, a collaborative initiative designed to facilitate the exchange of young technology professionals between the two countries. Minister Hartarto highlighted the progress made since the signing of the Technical Arrangement on the Indonesia-Singapore Tech Programme on June 7, noting that preparations are underway for a pilot project to launch the program.
Minister Hartarto expressed hope that Indonesia and Singapore could elevate their collaborative efforts, particularly in educational cooperation and capacity-building in semiconductor manufacturing. He underscored Indonesia’s ambition to develop a skilled workforce in the microelectronics field, aiming to create a robust domestic ecosystem for semiconductor production. He invited Singapore to support Indonesia in achieving this goal.
In addition to technology and human resource development, the two ministers discussed expanding cooperation in the energy sector, particularly the development of submarine cables in the Batam, Bintan, and Karimun regions.
The meeting also touched upon broader issues of bilateral and regional significance, including the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) initiatives, the Indonesia-Singapore Six Bilateral Economic Working Groups, Indonesia’s ongoing efforts to join the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and its participation in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Singapore continues to be a key partner for Indonesia in investment and trade. In 2023, Singapore’s investments in Indonesia exceeded US$15 billion, representing approximately 30 percent of the total foreign investment in the country. The ministers reiterated their commitment to further strengthening these ties.
