SINGAPORE - President Tony Tan Keng Yam will meet Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday on a visit to Batam, at the invitation of his Indonesian counterpart.

Dr Tan will also attend a tea session with a group of Singaporeans there.

The informal gathering in Batam was proposed by Dr Yudhoyono when the leaders last met in April last year in Singapore. Dr Yudhoyono will also host a dinner for Dr Tan.

"This meeting is an opportunity to keep up their longstanding friendship and to have a general exchange of views on regional and international developments," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in a statement.

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew, as well as officials from MFA and the Ministry of Trade and Industry will accompany Dr Tan on the visit.