Vietnam-Indonesia ties contributes to regional prosperity: Diplomat

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Indonesia have many common interests and their bilateral ties significantly contributes to maintaining peace maintenance and prosperity in the region and the world, Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Hoang Anh Tuan told Vietnam News Agency correspondents.

According to the diplomat, Vietnam and Indonesia have witnessed positive development in their relations in economics, politics, security–defence and education since they established their diplomatic ties in 1955. They upgraded their comprehensive partnership to a strategic partnership in June 2013.

Through regular meetings between high-ranking leaders and delegations, their ties have become stronger.

Vietnam is the only country in ASEAN that Indonesia has set up a strategic partnership with. The two countries are also working closely in regional forums such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM), and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+).

Indonesia is now Vietnam’s fourth largest economic partner in ASEAN and the country is also a great investor in Vietnam.

Tuan highlighted the potential for Vietnam and Indonesia to boost their economic ties, revealing that the two countries aim to lift two-way trade, which stood at 5.6 billion USD last year, to 10 billion USD in 2018.

Enhanced political connections between the two nations create an impetus to deepen their strategic partnership, he said.

During their recent meetings on the sidelines of the 27th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Indonesian President Joko Widodo discussed measures to make their bilateral ties more practical.

Regarding the East Sea issue, the two countries have the same viewpoint that disputes in the sea should be settled on the basis of international law, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the strict implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC). They are also looking forward to the early conclusion of Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

T alking about the formation of the ASEAN Community at the end of the year, Ambassador Tuan said it will be an important milestone marking ASEAN’s development, and it will also help promote the Vietnam-Indonesia strategic partnership.

The Vietnam-Indonesia strategic partnership will serve as a catalyst for developing other bilateral relations within the bloc, which will create support for promoting solidarity and cooperation in ASEAN.

Enhancing relations between the two countries will contribute to improving ASEAN’s central role in building regional architecture, he said, adding that this will also help realise their economic development targets and increase their position in the region and the world.-VNA