Ambassador Denny Abdi hails Vietnam – Indonesia cooperation potential
VOV.VN - Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Denny Abdi has hailed the great potential for cooperation between Indonesia and Vietnam, affirming that their partnership is one of the key foundations for maintaining stability, centrality, and unity within ASEAN.
Shared vision
Abdi, in his recent article to The Jakarta Post, highlighted the encouraging results of economic, investment and trade cooperation between Vietnam and Indonesia. Accordingly, their two-way trade turnover reached US$13.8 billion, exceeding the US$10 billion target set by the leaders of both countries.
President Joko Widodo made a state visit to Hanoi in January 2024, during which the two sides vowed to enhance bilateral cooperation to achieve the shared vision of becoming high-income countries by 2045.
They set a target of raising their trade revenue to US$18 billion by 2028 by advancing cooperation in five priority areas, namely agriculture, fisheries, renewable energy, the digital economy, and high-tech industries.
With a combined population of over 380 million, food security is a critical foundation for economic development in both Indonesia and Vietnam. As two of the largest rice and fish producers in the world, cooperation between Indonesia and Vietnam is essential not only for ensuring domestic food security but also for maintaining regional food security, according to the ambassador.
However, amidst rapid economic growth, he said Indonesia and Vietnam must address sustainability issues. Indonesia has set a target to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060, while Vietnam aims for 2050. Both countries are working towards these goals to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
To support this energy transition, the two sides need to enhance efforts, including exchanging and sharing experiences, particularly regarding the implementation of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), in which both Indonesia and Vietnam are partners.
Abdi stated that, with a high proportion of the population in the working-age group, cooperation in the digital economy represents a significant opportunity for the two countries. Startups are growing rapidly in both countries, and this positive trend should be effectively harnessed.
With a more integrated digital economy, Indonesia and Vietnam can enhance cross-border payments and transactions, thereby accelerating economic activities between the two countries.
According to the Ambassador, to achieve the aspiration of becoming developed economies, it is crucial for the two countries to focus on producing high-value-added products based on technology. To this end, both Indonesia and Vietnam are advancing their areas of strength. For instance, Vietnam’s electric vehicles have entered the Indonesian market, and an Indonesian company has completed the construction of a veterinary vaccine plant in Vietnam this year.
The two countries should complement each other and jointly contribute to establishing a unified manufacturing base in the Southeast Asian region, he suggested.
Shared commitment
Beyond 2024, amid the challenges, the prospect for Indonesia-Vietnam economic relations will continue to shine bright, said the ambassador, adding new leaderships following the inauguration of Vietnam's President To Lam in May 2024, followed by the inauguration of Indonesia's new president in October 2024, are expected to invigorate cooperation between the two countries.
Indonesia’s President-elect Prabowo Subianto is anticipated to carry on existing priority programs while also focusing on additional areas such as human resource development. These additional fields will create new avenues for Indonesia – Vietnam cooperation.
By riding the positive wave of the demographic bonus, the shared vision to become high-income countries, and the passion of the people, I am positive of the future of Indonesia and Vietnam, said the ambassador.
Next year, Indonesia and Vietnam will celebrate 70 years of their diplomatic relations, providing an opportunity for the two countries to elevate their partnership to new heights. Regionally, the growing influence of Indonesia and Vietnam will be a key foundation for maintaining stability, centrality, and unity within ASEAN. Therefore, promoting stability and security must remain a top priority for both countries.
The Ambassador expressed his confidence that Indonesia and Vietnam will continue their commitment to contributing to peace, stability, and prosperity in the ASEAN region and beyond.
