Hanoi (VNA) – GeneralSecretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong hasurged Vietnam and Indonesia to step up bilateral cooperation in differentfields as the two nations share many similar characteristics and interests.

At a reception for Speaker of theIndonesian Regional Representatives Council (upper house) Oesman Sapta Odang inHanoi on January 18, the Party leader highly valued the fruitful development ofthe Vietnam-Indonesia strategic partnership.

He believed that Oesman’s visit to Vietnam toattend the 26th Annual Meeting of theAsia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-26) will contribute to enhancing the friendship andcooperation between the legislatures as well as between Vietnam and Indonesia.

Oesman applaudedVietnam’s strong development and expressed his delight at the development ofthe Vietnam-Indonesia relationship, especially after the visit to Indonesia byParty General Secretary Trong in August 2017.

Indonesia wants tostrengthen friendly and cooperative ties with Vietnam in various areas,including maritime cooperation in order to maintain peace and stability, inaccordance with international law, as well as interests of the two countriesand the region at large, he said.

The same day, President Tran DaiQuang also hosted a reception for Oesman, during which the President expressedhis belief that legislative ties between Vietnam and Indonesia, including relationsbetween their friendship parliamentarians’ groups, will be further tightened,contributing to the enhancement of the Vietnam-Indonesia strategic partnership.


The leader noted with pleasure thestrong development of the traditional friendship and cooperation betweenVietnam and Indonesia.

The official visit to Indonesia by Party GeneralSecretary Trong from August 22-24, 2017, has brought the bilateral relationshipto a new period of development, he said.

President Quang asked the Speaker to convey histhanks to President Joko Widodo for his attendance in the APEC EconomicLeaders’ Meeting in central Da Nang city in November last year, as well as his invitationto the Indonesian leader to soon pay an official visit to Vietnam.

The President spoke highly of Indonesia’scooperation in economy, trade, investment and national defence-security as wellas its coordination in handling issues relating to Vietnamese fishermen in thespirit of friendship, humanity and solidarity within ASEAN, and in line with thebilateral strategic partnership.

President Quang suggested the two countries work outmeasures to soon bring the bilateral trade from more than 6.5 billion USD in2017 to 10 million USD in the time ahead, explaining that the y still boast alot of potential to further their trade and investment ties.

He also urged the early signing of cooperationdocuments between the Vietnamese and Indonesian Ministries of Industry and Tradein economy and trade, as well as between management agencies in trade safeguardand fisheries, along with mutual recognition agreements on standards inpotential areas such as oil and gas, food industry and chemicals.

Oesman affirmedIndonesia’s determination to elevate the strategic partnership to a new heightby enhancing cooperation through state and parliament channels, and betweenministries, agencies and localities of the two countries.

The two leadersshared a view that member countries of the Association of Southeast AsianNations (ASEAN) in particular and the international community in general shouldstep up collaboration and address common challenges.

As ASEAN members,Vietnam and Indonesia need to continue their close ties while working withother member countries to increase the intra-bloc cooperation, solidarity andunity, and maintain a peaceful, stable and cooperative environment, they said.-VNA