The traditional relationship between Vietnam and Indonesia has developed incessantly in recent years, especially after it was lifted to strategic partnership in June 2013, creating various cooperative opportunities.

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City chapter of the Vietnam-Indonesia Friendship Organisation (VIFO) Le Ton Thanh stated this during a ceremony held in the city on August 22 to mark the 69th anniversary of Indonesia’s Proclamation of Independence (August 17).

Indonesia is now one of the most important trade partners and investors of Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam in general, Thanh said.

He added that two-way trade between HCM City and Indonesia hit over 1 billion USD in 2012 and as many as 12 Indonesia-invested projects with a total capital of over 26 million USD are running in the city so far.

According Tri Surya, Acting Indonesian Consul General, his country and Vietnam have recorded developments in various areas over the last decade, especially in economics, trade, investment, and tourism.

Bilateral trade value increased 10 times during the period, reaching 4.8 billion USD in 2012. Indonesia has poured about 650 million USD in 39 projects in Vietnam and about 30 Indonesian firms have been present in Vietnamese market.

Tri Surya voiced that the two countries will work closely to realise their target of bringing their two-way trade to 5 billion USD by 2015 and 10 billion USD by 2018.-VNA