Milestone in Singapore-Indonesia relations; new series on regional developments

The Leaders' Retreat in Bintan on Jan 25 between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Indonesian President Joko Widodo set the stage for a new milestone in bilateral relations, and underscored the mutual trust and confidence between the two leaders. Three key pacts inked between the two countries were described by PM Lee as "durable agreements for the long haul designed to last for at least a generation".

In his commentary, Distinguished Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Barry Desker, who was Singapore's Ambassador to Indonesia from 1986 to 1993, says the signing of an expanded framework of agreements covering the Flight Information Region (FIR), defence cooperation, and extradition of fugitives demonstrates the maturity of the bilateral relationship, and a commitment to resolve outstanding issues through discussions and negotiations.

The Widodo administration deserves credit for its pragmatic and decisive approach to finding win-win solutions, he says, adding that Singapore and Indonesia have grappled with these complex issues for decades.

"Although both parties were keen on a resolution of these issues, the challenge was to find a balanced framework which created a mutually beneficial outcome, as this would be key to the durability and long-term success of any agreement. The set of agreements in this framework respects international law and the sovereign rights and interests of both countries."

Read his full commentary here.

The new series ST Deep Dive rounds up recent commentaries, seminars and podcasts on Asia by think-tanks in the region and elsewhere. This week, associate editor Ravi Velloor takes a closer look at Myanmar and China.

As the first anniversary of the Feb 1 military coup in Myanmar approaches, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen made a controversial trip to the country, becoming the first foreign leader to visit there since Senior General Min Aung Hlaing ousted the democratically elected government.

What has been the fallout from the trip, and what are its implications? And how do China's domestic considerations play into its foreign policy approach? Read more here.

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