Indonesia’s 77th Independence Day celebrated in HCM City

As part of his welcoming remarks, Nguyen Thanh Tuan, vice president of the Vietnam-Indonesia Friendship Association’s HCM City chapter, said the Southeast Asian neighbours share a racial and cultural affinity, as well as a history of struggling for independence.

The joint comprehensive ties have been constantly reinforced and expanded, he said, adding that both sides have moved to increase their political closeness to enjoy high trust, as well as holding more regular exchanges and meetings at all levels.

Furthermore, their co-operation has also seen progress in the fields of politics and diplomacy, as well as trade, investment, national defence and security, agriculture, fisheries, energy, aviation, culture, education, and tourism.

By the end of 2021, Indonesia ranked 31st out of 116 countries and territories investing in Ho Chi Minh City, running a total of 56 FDI projects worth over US$41 million, Tuan noted. In addition, Ho Chi Minh City also remains the host of various economic, trade, cultural, and educational activities between Vietnam and Indonesia.

Agustaviano Sofjan, consul general of Indonesia in HCM City, said the two sides share a time-tested relationship. Since the establishment of their diplomatic ties in 1955, leaders and citizens of the two countries have nurtured and developed their bilateral relationship across all areas, as well as elevating it to a Strategic Partnership in 2013, he said.

Despite enduring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, last year witnessed two-way trade hit US$11.4 billion, thereby topping the goal set by leaders of the two sides.

The Indonesian diplomat therefore pledged that the Consulate General of Indonesia will do its utmost to boost bilateral relations through government-to-government, business-to-business, and people-to-people co-operation. It also plans to ramp up cultural and educational exchanges in a bid to foster friendship and solidarity between the people of the two countries.