Jakarta (VNA) – National Assembly (NA) ChairmanVuong Dinh Hue held talks with Speaker of the People’s Representative Council (lowerhouse) of Indonesia Puan Maharani in Jakarta on August 4, during which heunderlined that Vietnam attaches great importance to developing the strategicpartnership with Indonesia.

Hue congratulated the People’s Representative Council ofIndonesia for successfully hosting the G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit, completing its role as the Chair of G20 in 2022. He expressed his belief thatIndonesia will successfully perform the role of the ASEAN Chair and AIPAChair 2023.

For her part, Puan Maharani highlighted the meaning of Hue’svisit, the first by a Vietnamese top legislator to Indonesia after 13 years,which is taking place when Vietnam and Indonesia are celebrating their 10-yearstrategic partnership, contributing to making the bilateral ties, includingparliamentary cooperation deeper and more substantial.

She affirmed that Vietnam is a partner of strategicimportance for Indonesia in the region.

The two sides shared delight at the fast and effectivedevelopment of the Vietnam-Indonesia strategic partnership in all fields. Theyagreed on major orientations to further promote the bilateral partnership inthe coming time.

They will increase the exchange of delegations andmeetings at high and all levels through the Party, State and people-to-peopleexchange channels, while continuing to promote parliamentary cooperation andcollaboration among localities of the two countries.

They concurred to work together to bring two-way trade toabove 15 billion USD in the coming time in a more balanced direction, whilefacilitating trade activities, reducing trade barriers and promoting thedevelopment of new and strategic supply chains, bringing into full play the potentialand strengths of both countries.

Hue suggested Indonesia open its market for Vietnamesefarm produce, especially Halal food and fruits, while providing favourableconditions for and encouraging Vietnamese firms to operate in Indonesia.

The two sides agreed to provide best conditions forbusinesses of the two countries to diversify their investment and business cooperationareas. They will share experience in law building and create a legal corridorfor the bilateral collaboration in the fields of global scale, especially justenergy transition and safe digital transformation.

They also agreed to work more closely in otherimportant areas including culture, education, tourism, people-to-peopleexchange, and increase direct flightsbetween the two countries. They also shared a wish to launch a direct routelinking their capital cities. The two sides will continue to cooperate in maritimeand fisheries areas, speeding up the settling of issues related to illegal,unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Regarding regional and international issues, the two sidesagreed to continue increasing consultations and coordination at regional andinternational forums, while working closely together at multilateralparliamentary forums such as the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), theInter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), promotingthe solidarity and central role of the ASEAN, and supporting each other’sstance on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

The two leaders reaffirmed the significance of peace,stability, maritime security, safety and freedom in the East Sea, as well as theneed to strengthen the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct ofParties in the East Sea (DOC) and speed up negotiations for a Code of Conductin the East Sea (COC) in line with international law and the UNConvention on the Law of the Sea 1982.

NA Chairman Hue took the occasion to invite the Speaker ofthe People’s Representative Council of Indonesia to visit Vietnam and the latter accepted the invitation with pleasure. Puan Maharani also said Indonesia’s parliamentwill send a delegation to the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentariansin Vietnam in September.

Concluding the talks, the two leaders signed a cooperationagreement between the two legislatures.

They also co-chaired a press briefing toinform the media on the outcomes of their talks. Puan Maharani thanked Vietnam’s support to Indonesia’s ASEANand AIPA Chairmanship.

She said that the two sides discussed the role ofparliaments in reaching goals in two-way trade, which currently stands at about11 billion USD. They also shared the hope for a stronger partnership in cultureand education.

Highlighting the traditional relations between Vietnam and Indonesian,initiated by President Sukarno and President Ho Chi Minh, she underlined thatthe two sides are sharing a close brotherhood.

Meanwhile, Hue emphasised that the signing of a new cooperation agreement betweenthe Vietnamese NA and the People’s Representative Council of Indonesia willcontribute to lifting up the bilateral strategic partnership and making itdeeper, more substantial and comprehensive across all fields, and promoting theties to a new height.

He commented that the Vietnam-Indonesia strategicpartnership is developing well, making positivecontributions to a dynamic, inclusive and sustainable regional architecture basedon international law. He stressed great potential for cooperation between Vietnam and Indonesia.

Vietnam and Indonesia have enough will, desire anddetermination to work together to realise the ambition of becoming developedand rich countries, Hue affirmed./.