Hanoi (VNA) – Party General Secretary an꧑d State President To Lam on September 13 received Indonesian President-elect Prabowo 💛Subianto, who is paying a working visit to Vietnam.

Expressing his respect for the Vietnam - Indonesia strategic partnership, the host leader congratulated Indonesia on its 79th National Day (August 17, 1945 - 2024) and highly valued the country's recent achievements in socio-economic development as well as active contributions to peace and cooperation in the region and the world. For his part, Subianto congratulated Vietnam on its important achievements in developing the economy and enhancing its position in the international arena. He offered his deep sympathy for the great losses and damage caused by Typhoon Yagi in Vietnam. Indonesia always attaches importance to the traditional friendship and cooperation with Vietnam - the only strategic partner of his country in ASEAN, the President-elect affirmed that, saying he hopes the two sides will take measures more strongly to deepen the relationship in an increasingly result-oriented manner. The two leaders applauded the strides of the Vietnam - Indonesia strategic partnership in the recent past, with all-level mutual visits and contacts maintained, and cooperation in security - defence, maritime affairs, culture, tourism, transport, people-to-people exchanges, and locality-to-localities ties effectively promoted. In ASEAN, Indonesia is Vietnam's third largest trading partner while Vietnam is Indonesia's fourth largest. Bilateral trade has increased nearly four-fold over the past 10 years. Enterprises of the two countries have boosted investment in each other's markets in important areas such as processing and manufacturing, accommodation services, trade, information technology, agriculture, and industry. At the meeting, the two sides discussed a number of cooperation directions to bring the bilateral relationship to a new height. They agreed to further consolidate political trust through continuing to increase exchanges and contacts at all levels between their Parties, States, paliaments, peoples, and localities; effectively promote bilateral mechanisms; soon complete the building of an action plan to implement the strategic partnership for the next five years; and coordinate to organise practical activities to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Vietnam - Indonesia diplomatic relations (1955 - 2025). The leaders affirmed the determination to raise bilateral trade turnover to 18 billion USD by 2028. They also agreed to continue to encourage and create favourable conditions for both countries' businesses to invest in each other's markets, especially in new areas such as digital economy, green economy, energy transition, and electric vehicle ecosystem development. Lam affirmed that Vietnam is ready to strengthen cooperation with Indonesia in ensuring food security. He asked the archipelago nation to facilitate Vietnamese agricultural and Halal products' access to the Indonesian market. The two sides concurred in strengthening ties in other important areas such as defence and security, sharing information and coordinating in preventing transnational crimes, and continuing to work closely together to prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The host called on Indonesia to share experiences and help train Vietnamese officers to participate in the United Nations peacekeeping force. Regarding regional and international issues of mutual concern, the two sides agreed to maintain coordination and mutual support at regional and international forums and organisations, especially ASEAN, the United Nations, and the Non-Aligned Movement, as well as to promote sustainable and equitable development of sub-regions in the region. The leaders reaffirmed the importance of peace, stability, safety, security, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea; the maintenance of solidarity, common stance, and achievements of ASEAN on the East Sea issue; as well as the promotion of negotiations on a substantive and effective Code of Conduct (COC) that accords with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS). Lam said that he hopes Indonesia will pay attention to, support, and send high-level representatives to the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 and the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit in Vietnam./.