Taking Vietnam-Indonesia strategic partnership to new heights

Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Ta Van Thong made this statement during a recent interview granted to the media which highlights the potential for co-operation between the two countries, the significance and importance of the visit, as well as offering an overview of the content of the JCBC meeting.

Moving forward, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Bui Thanh Son will make an official visit to Indonesia and co-chair the fourth meeting of the JCBC between the two nations in the capital of Jakarta from July 19 to July 21.

The visit is to be made following an invitation made by Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

According to details given by the Vietnamese diplomat, the two countries enjoy ties of traditional friendship, cultivated by President Ho Chi Minh and President Sukarno and followed by generations of leaders of the two countries.

Upgrading their bilateral ties to a strategic partnership in 2013 is widely viewed as an important foundation and motivation in which to continue to develop and deepen relations across a variety of fields.

Regarding politics and diplomacy, the two nations maintain strong ties of friendship and share many strategic co-benefits, including maintaining peace and sustainable stability in the Asia-Pacific region and worldwide.

Both sides are active members of key international and regional organisations and forums such as ASEAN, the UN, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the Non-Aligned Movement.

They have both pursued peaceful, independent, and self-reliant foreign policies to enhance multilateralism, a rules-based international order, and settle disputes by peaceful means in line with the basis of international law.

Regarding defence and security, the two sides have established and are in the process of promoting bilateral co-operation mechanisms such as the Defense Policy Dialogue at a deputy Ministerial level, exchanges between armed forces, and the exchange of delegations at all levels.

They have also worked closely at multilateral forums such as the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM), ADMM Plus (ADMM+), the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), and the ASEAN Police Chiefs (ASEANAPOL).

With regard to economic co-operation, two-way trade has more than doubled since the initial establishment of the strategic partnership, with there being plenty of room for further development with a market of approximately 100 million people in Vietnam and 275 million people in Indonesia.

Furthermore, Indonesia is the largest economy in Southeast Asia, is currently a member of the G20, and in the long run could be among the world's leading economies.

In comparison, Vietnam boasts a fast growing economy and aims to become a developed and high-income country in the near future.

The nation’s deep international integration policy and Indonesia’s vision ahead towards 2045 looks set to create many co-operation opportunities between the two sides.

There are many new fields of potential co-operation between both sides, such as clean energy, renewable energy, digital economy, and agricultural digital transformation.

Concerning the outstanding results achieved in bilateral co-operation over recent years, especially during the past two years of enduring the pandemic, Ambassador Thong said that despite unprecedented difficulties and challenges caused by COVID-19, joint ties since the third JCBC Meeting in Hanoi in April, 2018, has achieved many substantive results.

The two sides have strived to continue intensifying the exchange of high-level delegations and closely co-ordinated in 2020 when Vietnam was the Chair of ASEAN and both countries were non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Economic, investment, and trade co-operation has made great strides, with two-way trade increasing from US$5.6 billion in 2014 to more than US$11 billion in 2021, thereby exceeding the target of US$10 billion in turnover which was set out in the Action Plan for the 2019 to 2023 period.

This represents a highlight in terms of bilateral economic co-operation, despite being negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in recent years.

Moreover, the two countries have co-ordinated in organising activities such as training programmes on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), cybercrime, human trafficking and maritime security, drug prevention and control, counter-terrorism, and mechanisms in ASEAN.

Direct flights between Hanoi and Bali, Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta, as well as Ho Chi Minh City and Bali, have helped to promote tourism and business activities between the two sides, he said, adding that they will resume in the near future.

Ambassador Thong also said that during the pandemic, relevant agencies of the countries co-ordinated in order to safely repatriate more than 1,000 Vietnamese citizens from Indonesia.

Minister Son's visit to Indonesia and co-chairing the fourth JCBC takes place in the context of complicated developments in the international and regional situation. This includes the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict that has been negatively affecting global political and economic relations, including both Vietnam and Indonesia.

Therefore, the visit to Indonesia by Minister Son is extremely important as it shows the great determination of both sides to maintain the exchange of delegations and bilateral co-operation mechanisms, thereby contributing to the growth of the two countries. This will further strengthen relations between both sides, especially after two years of being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The trip also aims to evaluate the implementation of the results of the third meeting of the Vietnam - Indonesia Bilateral Cooperation Committee, which took place in April, 2018. Other discussions will focus on major directions and specific measures to continue boosting ties between the two countries in a multitude of fields, especially activities to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership ahead in 2023.

The visit will serve to demonstrate the importance of the nation developing the traditional friendship and strategic partnership with Indonesia, whilst showing Vietnamese support for Indonesia as the G20 President this year, as well as the ASEAN Chair in 2023.

The Vietnamese diplomat expressed his confidence that the upcoming fourth JCBC meeting will help further consolidate and strengthen the joint strategic partnership in line with the long-term interests of the two countries and two peoples. As a result, it will ultimately contribute to maintaining peace, stability, and promote co-operation in the region and the world.