After the independence of Indonesia, the two countries officially opened diplomatic relations in 1950. Indonesia's first president Sukarno visited Portugal in 1960. The diplomatic relations were severed since 1964, and were restored in May 1975 for decolonization of Portuguese Timor neighboring Indonesian side of Timor Island However, on 7 December 1975 Portugal severed diplomatic ties following the Indonesian invasion of East Timor. Then 24 years later on 28 December 1999 Indonesia and Portugal restored their diplomatic ties, four months after East Timorese voted for independence from Indonesia. In May 2012 President Aníbal Cavaco Silva visited Indonesia, this was the first visit by a Portuguese president since the two countries opened diplomatic relations in 1950.