Vietnam, Indonesia hold high-level talks

Vietnam has placed special importance on and given high priority to maintaining and developing its traditional friendship and all-around cooperation with Indonesia, said Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

During the talks following a welcome ceremony for the Vietnamese leader in Jakarta on August 23, the two sides discussed three major issues, namely navigation and fisheries; trade and investment; and regional issues.

They consented to speed up negotiations on the delineation of exclusive economic zones, work to reach consensus on fishing grounds, and reduce illegal fishing.

They discussed new measures and initiatives to lift bilateral trade to US$10 billion in the near future.

As a big producer and exporter of coffee and pepper, Indonesia agreed to devise specific measures to manage the products, keep their prices stable and improve products’ quality, Widodo said.

He expressed his hope that Indonesian and Vietnamese investors will receive more favourable conditions for their activities.

The two leaders informed each other about the situation in their respective country and discussed major orientations to further deepen the Vietnam-Indonesia strategic partnership and push forward bilateral ties in all spheres in a more practical and effective manner.

They also compared notes on regional issues of shared concern, stressing the importance of keeping ASEAN’s solidarity and central role, along with forming the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.

The leaders consented to maintain regular visits and meetings at all levels and through different channels to increase mutual understanding and trust and promote mutually-beneficial cooperation while effectively upholding existing cooperation mechanisms, including the Bilateral Cooperation Committee and the Joint Committee on Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation, as well as enhancing links between localities of the two countries.

The two sides shared a view that cooperation in defence and security is a bright spot in bilateral relations in recent years and also a very important pillar of cooperation that needs to be strengthened. On that basis, they pledged to work hand in hand in combating terrorism, cyber and hi-tech crimes, human trafficking, drug trafficking and transnational crimes.

They reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region, ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, peacefully resolving disputes, and complying with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982. They also underlined the need to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and soon reach a Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.

They pledged to accelerate and soon conclude negotiations on the demarcation of exclusive economic zones towards devising overall solutions, including settling issues related to fishing boats and fishermen in the spirit of humanity, friendship and solidarity within ASEAN, in line with the bilateral strategic partnership and on the basis of respect for each country’s independence and sovereignty.

Both sides vowed to continue coordinating to well settle common issues, including counter-terrorism, piracy, arms race and nuclear weapon proliferation. The leaders promised to closely cooperate in terms of stance and action at international and regional forums, particularly the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), and the United Nations, as well as regional and global economic and trade cooperation initiatives.

President Widodo applauded Vietnam’s support for Indonesia’s candidacy for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for the 2019-2020 tenure. He also affirmed that Indonesia backs Vietnam’s bid to run for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term and continues working closely with Vietnam in the APEC Year 2017.

Party General Secretary Trong stressed that Vietnam consistently wants to bolster the strategic partnership with Indonesia in a substantive fashion.

Effective implementation of the reached common perceptions and cooperation orientations and measures will strongly develop bilateral relations, thus practically benefiting the two peoples, helping to reinforce solidarity among the member countries of the ASEAN Community, and actively contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world, he said.

The same day, host and guest witnessed the signing of an array of cooperation documents in Jakarta.

The documents consist of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation between Vietnam’s Ministry of Justice and Indonesia’s Ministry of Law and Human Rights, and a MoU on information development cooperation between Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Indonesia’s Ministry of Village, Disadvantaged Region Development and Transmigration.

The two countries’ coast guard forces inked a letter of intent on cooperation enhancement, the Vietnamese and Indonesian Governments signed a MoU on educational cooperation.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources signed a MoUs on cooperation in gas use in border areas, and another on cooperation in the coal industry.

At a press briefing following the signing ceremony, the leaders noted with satisfaction the outcomes of the talks, which took place at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta after an official welcoming ceremony for the Vietnamese Party leader.

Both sides looked back on the countries’ traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation over the past years and discussed ways to deepen their strategic partnership and boost result-oriented relations in a multitude of areas.

President Widodo stated that Vietnam has been a strategic partner of Indonesia since 2013, and both of them are members of ASEAN. Vietnam currently chairs APEC in 2017 and will host the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November. He affirmed his nation's readiness to support Vietnam’s role as the APEC Chair.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong invited President Joko Widodo to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time and his invitation was accepted with pleasure.

Earlier, the Vietnamese Party chief and his entourage laid a wreath at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery, where veterans of the Indonesian National Revolution and other prominent people are buried.

Later, President Widodo hosted a banquet in honour of General Secretary Trong and his entourage.

VOV