REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BOGOR -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) received an official visit of Timor Leste's President Francisco Guterres Lú Olo at the Bogor Presidential Palace on Thursday. Timor Leste's presidential delegation arrived at the palace at around 10 a.m. local time, accompanied by the Nusantara and drum band troops as well as horsemen of the Presidential Security Force of Indonesia.
President Jokowi welcomed his Timor Leste counterpart on the front porch where the national anthems of both nations were played along with a 21-cannon salute.
After the welcome ceremony, the two leaders moved to the backyard to plant "Barringtonia asiatica."
Presiden Joko Widodo (left) and Timor Leste's President Francisco Guterres Lu Olo inspect the honor guard during reception ceremony at Bogor Palace, West Java, Thursday (June 28).
Jokowi and Guterres thereafter held a one-on-one meeting in the palace and accompanied their ministers and officials to a meeting that discussed improvements in bilateral cooperation.
Guterres' visit to Indonesia is his first official overseas trip after being sworn in as Timor Leste's president on May 19, 2017.
President Jokowi had visited Timor Leste in January 2016 to meet former president Taur Matan Ruak and former prime minister Rui Maria de Araujo.
Bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Timor Leste has grown stronger since the establishment of diplomatic relations on July 2, 2002.
According to the Foreign Ministry's data of Southeast Asia Directorate, the Timor Leste government has entrusted several strategic infrastructure projects to construction companies from Indonesia.
Currently, nine Indonesian state-owned enterprises and hundreds of Indonesian companies are operating in Timor Leste, investing about US$600 million in 18 projects there.
Indonesia is also committed to supporting Timor Leste's development through various capacity-building programs.
The value of bilateral trade between Indonesia and Timor Leste continues to increase.
In 2015, the trade value between the two countries was recorded at US$217 million, with Indonesia enjoying a surplus of $215.95 million.
In 2016, the trade value had increased to $227.41 million, with Indonesia recording a surplus of $224.42 million.
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