Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc

Widodo congratulated Phuc on his new position as President of Vietnam, and affirmed that Indonesia wishes to lift its traditional friendship and strategic partnership with Vietnam to a new high.

For his part, Phuc stressed that Indonesia is always Vietnam’s close and trustworthy friend, expressing his hope to welcome the Indonesian President in Vietnam at an appropriate time.

The leaders concurred to enhance coordination and the exchange of experience in COVID-19 response and vaccine access.

Widodo lauded Vietnam’s achievements in pandemic containment and socio-economic development.

The Vietnamese leader shared difficulties facing Indonesia in the COVID-19 combat, and expressed his belief that the country will soon put the pandemic under control and recover its economy.

He used the occasion to thank the Indonesian side for its cooperation in protecting Vietnamese citizens affected by the pandemic, and called on Indonesia to further facilitate their health check-up, quarantine and treatment when necessary.

Both Presidents commended progress in the bilateral collaboration across spheres, especially economy and trade, saying the two-way trade still reached 8.2 billion USD in 2020 and 4.5 billion USD in the first five months of this year despite difficulties presented by COVID-19.

They agreed to increase all-level exchanges and meetings in a flexible manner, and effectively materialise bilateral cooperation mechanisms, while pressing ahead with the implementation of the 2019-2023 action programme to realise the strategic partnership and the Joint Vision on Defence Cooperation for 2017-2022.

To boost post-pandemic economic recovery and development, the leaders committed to instructing relevant agencies to promote coordination with a view to soon raising two-way trade to 10 billion USD.

They consented that the two countries will ease the imposition of trade barriers and facilitate trade, investment and connectivity activities, particularly the export and import of rice and other agricultural products.

The two sides will also step up negotiations on the demarcation of the overlapping exclusive economic zone, and address emerging issues in the spirit of the friendship and strategic partnership.

The Presidents exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concern, including those regarding the East Sea and the Myanmar situation.

They agreed to enhance coordination at regional and multilateral organisations and forums.

Phuc congratulated Indonesia on its assumption of G20 Presidency in 2022 for the first time, saying he believes that the country will help promote and ensure ASEAN’s centrality, and include the bloc’s cooperation priorities in the G20 agenda./.

Source: VNA