SINGAPORE - The Straits Times looks at what politicians, and the politically related, are up to in this weekly series.
In this edition, we take a look at MPs catching up with their counterparts from around the world, and pick up some social media tips from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who this week celebrated 10 years on social media and has more than 1.7 million followers on Facebook.
Look out for the latest edition of the series every Friday, and check out past ones here.
Meeting friends here...
Top of the political calendar this week was New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's three-day official visit to Singapore.
During her visit, Ms Ardern and PM Lee announced a new area of collaboration in climate change and the green economy, following their meeting at the Istana.
Other politicians also used the opportunity to meet up with Ms Ardern.
Mr Louis Ng (Nee Soon GRC) tried his best to hide his excitement as he headed to a gala dinner with Ms Ardern, held at Gardens by the Bay on Tuesday (April 19), saying in a post that he had always wanted to meet her and was excited that Singapore and New Zealand will work more closely to fight climate change.
This was followed the same evening by a wefie with Ms Ardern.
Two Cheshire grins in two photos: someone must have been a little starstruck!
No leader visit is complete without an exchange of state gifts, a tradition closely tied to the delicate work of international diplomacy. But personal gifts have a place too.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah, who was accompanying minister for the visit, shared pictures of the gifts that both women exchanged before Ms Ardern left on Wednesday for Japan.
Ms Indranee gifted Ms Ardern with locally designed and crafted eco-jewellery - a pair of asymmetrical earrings from Amado Gudek made from bioresin and local fallen wood - while Ms Ardern presented her with a compact umbrella with seascape artwork by Kiwi graphic designer Greg Straight.
"She assured me (it's) storm and wind proof!" quipped Ms Indranee.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition and Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh said on Tuesday that he took a courtesy call at Parliament House with the Malaysian High Commissioner to Singapore, Dato' Dr Azfar Mohamad Mustafar.
They discussed developments in Singapore and Malaysia, and also talked about the much anticipated reopening of land borders between the two neighbours - which took place on April 1.
Also on an official visit here this week was Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi, who called on PM Lee and met with Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and other leaders.
This was the Johor Menteri Besar's first official trip to Singapore since he took office last month.
On Monday, Minister for National Development Desmond Lee posted about breaking fast with Datuk Onn Hafiz and Minister for Transport S. Iswaran, where they chatted about strengthening bilateral cooperation between Singapore and Johor.
...And catching up abroad
Finance Minister Lawrence Wong, who is on a 10-day visit to the United States to attend the Group of 20 and World Bank-International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings, also used his trip to meet with old friends such as Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while making new ones like Turkey's new Finance Minister Nureddin Nebati.
He also met with International Finance Corporation (IFC) managing director Makhtar Diop. The IFC is a member of the World Bank Group that is focused on private-sector development in less developed countries.
Mr Wong said: "Besides discussing collaboration in digital innovation, agritech, the run-up to COP27; we also spoke about our hobby - I play the guitar and Makhtar is an avid bass player. Might show him our jazz scene the next time he comes to Singapore."
COP27, or the 27th United Nations Climate Change conference, will be held in Egypt this November.
Mr Diop also caught up with another Singaporean friend. On Thursday, he tweeted about his delight in meeting again with Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the World Bank.
"We talked about the importance of #water security within the climate agenda and areas for collaboration in this space," he said.
On using social media
On Wednesday, PM Lee said it had been exactly 10 years since he launched his social media accounts.
"It's been a fun, surprising, instructive, and at times, bewildering (why did this post get such a strong response while that one didn't?) experience," he said.
In the video, he shared some tips: "There are times when you have to be light-hearted, there are times when you see a beautiful sunset, you share it with people and you hope they will enjoy it with you."
Mr Lee has also kept up a regular stream of photos - often taken by him - with the hashtag #jalanjalan where he shares places he has visited.
He also frequently asks his followers to figure out where he has taken the pictures with the hashtag #guesswhere, or posts a picture of something taken in a unique angle with the hashtag #guesswhat.
His mini games may have inspired some of his parliamentary colleagues to do the same to engage their own followers.
On Tuesday, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing snapped a photo of himself during his morning exercise and asked followers to "Guess where?"
Several Facebook users got it right - it was at one-north Park in Central Exchange Green - and Mr Chan confirmed this two hours later.
Last Thursday, PM Lee's fellow Ang Mo Kio GRC team member Nadia Ahmad Samdin said she went for a site visit with officers from the Land Transport Authority and her neighbourhood committee to look into traffic flows, accessibility, parking and safety issues.
She spotted a photogenic little field on her way back to the community club and appeared to take a leaf out of Mr Lee's playbook.
"Guess where in Cheng San - Seletar?" she said, using the formal name for the division she is in charge of.
Several surmised that it is the vicinity of the JVCKenwood building in Ang Mo Kio Street 63, but Ms Nadia has yet to confirm.
It appears Mr Chan has been the better student so far: Mr Lee usually provides the answer key a couple hours after each #guesswhere quiz.
