Cheering crowds today welcomed King Salman as he began the first visit by a Saudi monarch to Indonesia for almost 50 years, seeking stronger economic ties with the world's most populous Muslim-majority country. <br/><br/>The king is accompanied by about 1,000 people including princes and ministers. The 81-year-old was greeted by President Joko Widodo and Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama. <br/><br/>Crowds of flag-waving schoolchildren lined the route as a convoy of vehicles carrying the king and his entourage sped through pouring rain to a presidential palace in the nearby city of Bogor, where a marching band played the Indonesian national anthem.<br/><br/>Widodo hailed Salman's trip as historic and said he hoped it could lead to closer economic ties.<br/><br/>Salman hopes the visit would contribute to the improvement of the bilateral relationship between the two countries.<br/><br/>The visit — the first by a Saudi Arabian king to Indonesia for 47 years — is one of the highlights of a rare Saudi royal tour of Asia which is seeking investment as the world's biggest oil exporter tries to diversify its economy.<br/><br/>Salman kicked off his three-week Asian tour in Malaysia earlier this week, and is also set to visit Japan, China and the Maldives.