Vietnam, Indonesia to promote strategic partnership to new height: Ambassador

Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia (right) at an interview with Vietnam News Agency resident correspondent in Jakarta. (Photo: VNA)

Jakarta (VNA) – The upcoming 4th meeting of the Vietnam - Indonesia Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) is expected to further consolidate and create strong momentum to bring the bilateral strategic partnership to a new height in line with the long-term interests of the two countries, Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Ta Van Thong has said.

Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency's resident correspondent in Jakarta ahead of Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son's official visit to Indonesia to co-chair the 4th meeting of the JCBC from July 19-21, the ambassador said the visit will take place in the context of complicated developments in the international and regional situation, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which have caused negative impacts on global political and economic relations.

The visit reflects the high determination of the two sides in maintaining the exchange of delegations and bilateral cooperation mechanisms, contributing to further strengthening the bilateral relations, especially after two years of being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

According to the diplomat, the meeting will review the implementation of the results of the 3rd meeting of the JCBC held in April 2018, and discuss directions and specific measures to continue promoting bilateral cooperation in all fields, especially activities to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the strategic partnership in 2023.

The visit affirms that Vietnam attaches great importance to the traditional friendship and strategic partnership with Indonesia, reflecting the country's support for Indonesia as the President of the G20 this year as well as the Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2023, Thong stressed.

The diplomat said Son and his Indonesian counterpart Retno L.P. Marsudi will co-chair the meeting to evaluate the overall results of cooperation in all fields from politics, diplomacy, defence, security, economy, trade, culture and social affairs, and exchange views on international and regional issues of mutual interest.

The two sides will carefully discuss the shortcomings and set forth directions and solutions to promote Vietnam-Indonesia collaboration in the coming time, both bilaterally as well as within the framework of regional and international cooperation mechanisms.

The ambassador highlighted the fruitful development of bilateral relations in recent times which has been further strengthened with meetings between senior leaders of the two countries and close coordination at international and regional forums.

Two-way trade surged from 5.6 billion USD in 2014 to over 11 billion USD in 2021, exceeding the target of 10 billion USD set in the 2019-2023 action plan.

Visits and cooperation activities between ministries and agencies of the two nations have been maintained, including Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi's working visit to Vietnam in December 2019, Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto's official visit in May this year. The two countries' Coast Guards also signed an MoU on cooperation in December 2021.

In addition, the two countries have coordinated in organising many activities such as training programmes on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), cybercrime, human trafficking and maritime security, drug prevention and control, counter-terrorism and mechanisms in ASEAN.

Direct flights between Hanoi and Bali, Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City and Bali have helped promote tourism and business activities between the two sides, he said, adding that they will be resumed in the near future.

Thong also said that during the pandemic, relevant agencies of the countries coordinated together to safely repatriate more than 1,000 Vietnamese citizens from Indonesia./.