Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesian media on March 7 widely reported on Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam’s state visit to Indonesia; and his official visits to the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, and Singapore from March 9 to 13.
The trips will be made at the invitations of President of Indonesia and President of the Great Indonesia Movement Party Prabowo Subianto, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, and Prime Minister of Singapore and Secretary-General of its People's Action Party (PAP) Lawrence Wong.
According to the Antara News Agency, the visit aims to strengthen the relations and also open up new opportunities for economic, culture, and education cooperation between Vietnam and Indonesia. It is expected to provide new momentum for Vietnam-Indonesia cooperation while contributing to promoting the development and prosperity of both nations.
The Indonesian website Beritasatu said Indonesia is Vietnam's second largest trading partner in ASEAN. The two-way trade hit 16.7 billion in 2024, an increase of 21.6% compared to 2023. The two countries set to lift their trade to 18 billion in 2028.
It noted that one of the biggest achievements in Indonesia-Vietnam relations is the Agreement on the Delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) which was signed in December 2022, after 12 years of negotiations. This is considered a milestone in bilateral relations, opening up great opportunities in maritime cooperation and exploration of marine resources. In addition, the agreement also affirms the importance of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and strengthens ASEAN solidarity in dealing with the East Sea issue.
In addition to economic cooperation, the two sides will discuss measures to boost tourism cooperation, which has recorded significant growth in recent years.
Lam’s trip is hoped to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia, and collaboration within ASEAN, Beritasatu said.
Meanwhile, an article published on the website Sinarharapan highlighted the long-standing diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Indonesia, noting that 70 years ago, Indonesia became the first Southeast Asian country to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam.
It reviewed key milestones, including the elevation of ties to a comprehensive partnership in 2003 and a strategic partnership in 2013. To date, Indonesia has been Vietnam's only strategic partner in Southeast Asia.
Over the past seven decades, despite global and regional changes, Vietnam and Indonesia have remained close friends and key partners. Indonesia is running 123 investment projects worth 682 million USD in Vietnam, while Vietnam's investment in Indonesia also continues to increase. Security cooperation has been strengthened, supporting regional peace and stability. Other areas of cooperation, including education, culture, agriculture, energy, and law, are growing stronger.
Regarding Vietnam's role in ASEAN, Sinarharapan reported that Vietnam officially joined the bloc on July 28, 1995, as the 7th member. Vietnam considers ASEAN a top priority in its foreign policy. Recently, the country successfully hosted the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 in Hanoi, reaffirming its commitment to regional cooperation.
Republik newspaper, citing information from Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Indonesia currently ranks 29th among 143 countries investing in Vietnam. Vietnam’s investment in Indonesia is also growing, notably the establishment of a 1.2- billion-USD VinFast electric vehicle plant in July 2024.
According to the ministry, Indonesia and Vietnam share a common vision of becoming high-income nations by 2045. During Lam’s visit, the two sides are expected to finalise plans for innovation collaboration, focusing on strengthening cooperation in food security, digital technology, renewable energy, and hi-tech industries, to realise this vision./.
