Indonesia President’s Vietnam visit to strengthen bilateral ties: ambassador

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on the threshold of the visit, slated for January 11-13, Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Denny Abdi noted that it is the second state visit to Vietnam by the President after the first in 2018 when the two sides committed to raising their bilateral trade to US$10 billion by 2023.

The two-way trade reached US$14.2 billion in 2022, surpassing the set target, he said, expressing his belief that that the new target of US$15 billion set for 2028 will soon be achieved.

The ambassador said Vietnam and Indonesia share the vision of becoming a high-income economy in 2045, and look towards net zero emissions, and suggested them make great efforts to reach the goals, saying close cooperation will create great momentum for the two nations themselves and the entire Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The diplomat said he hopes that Vietnam and Indonesia will reach the comprehensive strategic partnership soon, stressing this elevation will show their strong commitments to promoting cooperation and open up new opportunities.

The two countries should join hands both bilaterally and multilaterally to handle the political unrest in the region, as well as issues relating Myanmar and the East Sea, and other non-traditional security challenges, he said.

Abdi expressed his hope for stronger collaboration between the governments, businesses and people of the two countries following the visit, and more two-way investments, focusing on agriculture, fisheries, high-tech industries, renewable energy, and digital economy.

The two sides will work together to develop high-added value products and integrate into global supply chains, and boost collaboration in education, research and development, and the Halal industry, he expected.