Vietnam, Indonesia discuss all-round cooperation

Hanoi and Jakarta have discussed a number of measures to boost all-round cooperation in the time to come during the visit of Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi to Hanoi.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi in Hanoi on Dec 23. Photo: VGP

In talks between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and his Indonesian counterpart, the two sides agreed to push up the implementation of the Strategic Partnership Action Plan 2019-2023. The two sides focus on different fields regardless of politics, economics, science, and technology.

Politics

Both top diplomats discussed celebrations of the 65th anniversary of the bilateral relations which will take place next year.

They also talked about regional and international issues of mutual concerns and highlighted the Vietnam-Indonesia cooperation in contributing to regional peace and stability.

They agreed that it’s important to maintain ASEAN’s centrality especially when Vietnam takes the ASEAN chairmanship and assumes a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2020-21.

Both sides reached consensus on promoting the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) which was approved at the 34th ASEAN Summit in Thailand in June 2019, calling it an important basis for the bloc to boost collaboration with foreign partners.

The two ministers also expressed concerns over recent developments in the South China Sea, saying the moves seriously affect regional peace, stability and security, running against the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and affecting the negotiations on the Code of Conduct (COC).

Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi attends a news conference in Hanoi on April 17, 2018. Photo: Reuters

Economics

In a visit to Hanoi in September 2018 paid by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Vietnam and Indonesia had agreed to increase trade and investment cooperation.

Considering Vietnam one of Indonesia’s important partners in the region, with a population of roughly 96 million, Indonesia views the potential to develop large economic cooperation.

In 2018, the two-way trade reached US$8.6 billion, up nearly 30% on-year. The two countries expect to expand the value to US$10 billion in 2020.

“In terms of investment, several Indonesian investors have already invested their money in Vietnam, and some others are interested to do so,” Marsudi was quoted by Antara News as saying during Widodo’s visit.