PM Nguyen Tan Dung

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has stated that Vietnam treasures and wishes to further intensify cooperation with Indonesia in various spheres, especially defence – an important mainstay in their bilateral strategic partnership.

Receiving visiting Commander-in-Chief of the Indonesian military, Admiral Agus Suhartono, in Hanoi on July 26, PM Dung hailed his visit as a significant event which comes at a time when the two nations freshly declared to officially lift bilateral ties to a strategic partnership level.

The Vietnamese leader suggested the two defence ministries effectively launch cooperative activities reached in the past, enhance exchanges between the two navies, and cement links in personnel training, defence technology and joint sea patrols.

Switching to the East Sea issue, PM Dung stressed that peace, stability, maritime safety and freedom are the common aspirations of all ASEAN member nations and relevant parties.

He made it clear that Vietnam wishes to work closely with Indonesia and relevant countries, especially in compliance with the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), towards the early achievement of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), as well as the peaceful settlement of the East Sea issue in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Suhartono vowed that Indonesia will do all it can to deepen defence cooperation with Vietnam in a practical and effective approach.

He said he hopes the Government of Vietnam will always back cooperation between the two armies.

At earlier talks with Deputy Defence Minister and Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty, the two sides agreed to enhance the exchange of high-level delegations and training, establish a deputy-ministerial dialogue mechanism and expand naval links in the time to come.

The same day, Suhartono paid a courtesy visit to Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh.

The Indonesian delegation’s visit, which started on July 26, comes at the invitation of general Ty.

VNA