Party chief welcomes Indonesian President

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong (R) welcomes Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Hanoi 

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of attaching importance to strengthening and expanding friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Indonesia, during his reception for Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Hanoi on September 12.

He welcomed the state visit to Vietnam by President Widodo and highlighted its significance as the two countries enter a new stage of development after 63 years of diplomatic ties and five years of strategic partnership (2013-2018).

The Party chief asked both sides to boost cooperation across all fields, especially in trade, investment, and cultural exchange, as well as within the framework of ASEAN and regional and international forums for peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world as whole.

President Widodo expressed his pleasure in meeting Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong again when he attended the World Economic Forum on ASEAN (WEF ASEAN) in Hanoi. He said he is glad to witness Vietnam’s recent achievements in socio-economic development under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

The President briefed the General Secretary on outcomes of his meetings with Presidents Trang Dai Quang and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, while affirming Indonesia will closely coordinate with Vietnam in maintaining peace, stability, and cooperation in the region, as well as in building the strong and united ASEAN Community.

He expressed his wish to promote comprehensive collaboration through the Party, Government, and people channels in the time ahead, especially in the exchange of delegations.

On this occasion, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, on behalf of the Party, Government, and people of Vietnam, extended deep sympathy on the great losses caused by recent earthquakes in Lombok to President Widodo, the Government, and people of Indonesia.

Vietnam, Indonesia agree to foster multifaceted cooperation

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) meets with Indonesian President Joko Widodo

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on September 12 met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who is paying a state visit to Vietnam and attending the World Economic Forum on ASEAN (WEF ASEAN) 2018.

At the meeting, President Widodo spoke highly of Vietnam’s careful preparations for the WEF ASEAN 2018, which served as a foundation for the success of the event. He added that it is an important event, offering huge opportunities for the development and application of creative industries and digital technology.

The two leaders expressed their delight at the positive development of the Vietnam-Indonesia strategic partnership in the five years since its establishment. They also lauded the signing of an action programme on the implementation of the strategic partnership for the 2019-2023 period, towards celebrating the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the strategic partnership in 2023. 

Both leaders affirmed their determination to fully tap the two nations’ potential in economic cooperation in order to bring bilateral trade to 10 billion USD in 2020 and towards an equal trade balance. President Widodo welcomed Vietnam’s export of agro-forestry-fishery products, steel, and electronic products to Indonesia.

The two leaders also agreed to devise a suitable mechanism to promptly handle troubles and suggestions from businesses of both sides, creating favourable conditions for bilateral investment. 

PM Phuc and President Widodo consented to accelerate negotiations on the demarcation of the exclusive economic zones between the two countries in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS). 

The two sides promised to cooperate closely to limit illegal fishing and affirmed that the issue of arrested fishermen and fishing vessels should be handled in a humanitarian spirit and in accordance with the two countries’ friendship and international law. On this occasion, President Widodo said Indonesia will return 155 Vietnamese fishermen who are currently being detained in the country.

The two leaders agreed to increase consultations on regional and international issues, coordinate to build a united, self-reliant ASEAN, and enhance ASEAN’s central role in the regional architecture. 

They reiterated their consistent stance on the East Sea issue; ensuring peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation; settlement of disputes through peaceful measures and in line with international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS; full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and acceleration of negotiations on a practical and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

Top legislator affirms support for Vietnam-Indonesia relations

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) meets with Indonesian President Joko Widodo 

The National Assembly of Vietnam always supports the country’s friendship and strategic partnership with Indonesia – one important partner of Vietnam in ASEAN and the region, said NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

At a meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Hanoi on September 12, Ngan suggested the parliaments of Vietnam and Indonesia coordinate closely in supervising and accelerating the implementation of agreements signed between the two nations, and actively build and promulgate legal documents to create favourable and stable legal foundations for bilateral cooperation.

The NA Chairwoman recalled the good outcomes reached during the Vietnam visit by the Chairman of the People’s Consultative Assembly of Indonesia in 2014 and the trip by the Speaker of the Regional Representative Council to attend the 26th annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-26) in Hanoi in January 2018.

The two leaders expressed their pleasure at the fruitful development of relations between the Vietnamese and Indonesian parliaments both bilaterally and multilaterally. They agreed to continue maintaining the exchange of visits by leaders of the parliaments and its committees in a bid to enhance political ties and mutual understanding.

Ngan warmly welcomed Widodo’s first state visit to Vietnam, believing that it would make an important contribution to strengthening and further promoting the traditional friendship and strategic partnership between the two countries.

Widodo thanked leaders and people of Vietnam for their sympathy with the Indonesian people over huge losses caused by a series of recent earthquakes.

Both leaders held that the establishment of the strategic partnership in 2013 opened up a new, more comprehensive, reliable and profound chapter in bilateral relations. They agreed to further promote cultural and sport exchange activities, cooperation among localities and tourism cooperation to enhance people’s understanding and awareness about Vietnam-Indonesia ties, towards the 10th founding anniversary of the strategic partnership in 2023.

Widodo promised to urge the People’s Representative Council to soon establish an Indonesia-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians Group, thus creating another bridge for cooperative activities between the two parliaments. The Regional Representative Council of Indonesia will consider signing a cooperative agreement with the Vietnamese NA similar to that with the People’s Representative Council, he said.

Discussing regional and international issues of mutual concern, the two leaders agreed to continue coordinating together, especially at multilateral parliamentary forums, and further promote the ASEAN’s centrality in regional matters, including the East Sean issue, helping to create a peaceful, stable and cooperative environment in the region.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his spouse concluded a State visit to Vietnam from September 11-12 at the invitation of President Tran Dai Quang. 

During the visit, Widodo held talks with President Quang, paid a courtesy call to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, met Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. 

Both sides issued a Joint Statement for strengthening bilateral strategic partnership. 

During meetings, they expressed satisfaction with the development of bilateral strategic partnership with closer trust and links in diverse areas, especially in economy, national defence-security, socio-culture and people-to-people exchange. 

They agreed to maintain regular exchanges of high-level visits and offer many opportunities to share views on strategic issues via bilateral mechanisms and consultation, including the Joint Committee on Bilateral Cooperation; reinforce legal assistance within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding on Legal and Judicial Cooperation signed in 2017, including sharing experience in legal enforcement, administrative reform and anti-corruption. 

Leaders reaffirmed the importance of joint work to fight trans-national crimes such as drug and human trafficking, terrorism, cyber crimes and money laundering. 

They again committed to working closely and effectively together to protect each country’s national security interests.

The two sides agreed to implement stronger measures to increase bilateral trade, including removal of unnecessary trade barriers and measures which are inconsistent with international and regional trade rules and norms, and provide broader market access for two countries’ goods and services.

The leaders tasked the relevant ministries to conduct a review on the 1990 Agreement on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation between the governments of Vietnam and Indonesia.

They agreed to ensure a conducive trade and investment climate through the consistent implementation of national policies and regulations and tasked the relevant ministries to find solutions for the obstacles faced by the business people.

They agreed to further foster cooperation in the energy sector and encourage the active participation of state-run and private enterprises from both sides in the oil and gas exploration and production, refinery industry and services.

They also agreed to increase the air and sea connectivity of the two countries to ease the movement of goods and people. Indonesia took note of Vietnam’s request for the exchange of experience in inland waterway transportation.

To cope with the challenges of the industrial revolution 4.0, the leaders will promote innovation through enhancing joint research, capacity building on Intellectual Property (IP), and technical assistance and training of IP professionals.

The leaders agreed to continue implementing the 2017 memorandum of understanding on Education Cooperation and to expand cooperation in education and training through, among others, exchanges of teachers and students.

They acknowledged and encouraged further contribution of the Vietnam - Indonesia Friendship Association and Indonesia - Vietnam Friendship Association to enhance the relations between private sectors as well as people of the two countries.

Both sides shared convergence of views on various regional and international issues. They agreed to continue to work closely to address global and regional challenges, including transnational crimes, climate change, natural disaster risks, food - water - energy security nexus, among others.

They reaffirmed their support for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and welcomed the continued improving cooperation between ASEAN and China and were encouraged by the progress of the substantive negotiation towards an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

On the occasions, Vietnam and Indonesia signed the Plan of Action for the Implementation of Strategic Partnership between the two countries (2019-2023) and the Joint Communiqué on Voluntary International Cooperation to Combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing and to Promote Sustainable Fisheries Governance.-VNA