Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh was hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo during his working trip to Jakarta to co-chair the second foreign ministerial-level meeting of the Vietnam-Indonesia Bilateral Cooperation Committee.

At the reception on June 25, both sides highlighted the traditional relationship established and strengthened by Presidents Sukarno and Ho Chi Minh, which was lifted to a strategic partnership between the two countries in June 2013.

According to Deputy PM Minh, the relationship has since then developed extensively across politics, economics, trade, education, culture and tourism.

He expressed his delight at the fact that two-way trade reached 5.4 billion USD in 2014, one year ahead of the goal of five billion USD in 2015, and that the volume would be likely to meet the 10 billion USD in 2018 mark as intended by the leaders of the two countries.

Deputy PM Minh proposed the Indonesian president consider importing rice, pink onion, electronic components and other Vietnamese products and direct ministries to increase the effectiveness of existing mechanisms and generate new ones to promote the strategic partnership.

He also urged boosting maritime cooperation including the early formation of a hotline between the two countries’ navies, more joint patrol missions and boosted affiliation in search and rescue and the fight against terrorism, human trafficking and transnational crimes.

Deputy PM Minh took the occasion to convey President Truong Tan Sang’s invitation to President Joko Widodo to visit Vietnam at an early date.

President Joko Widodo said the visit of Deputy PM Minh is a good chance for the two sides to review cooperation and outlining orientations and specific measures to promote the strategic partnership.

The President proposed Vietnam boost the import of Indonesian agro-products and consumer goods and pledged to carefully consider Vietnam’s proposals.

President Joko Widodo shared Vietnam’s concerns over the complicated situation in the East Sea and underlined the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and maritime and aviation safety.

He hoped all parties would resolve issues peacefully with respect for international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), fully execute the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and striving towards concluding a Code of Conduct (COC).-VNA