Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (left) and Indonesian President Joko Widodo meet on Monday in Jakarta. — VNA/VNS Photo

JAKARTA — Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Jakarta on Sunday on the side-lines of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings.

Both leaders spoke highly of the positive development in the strategic partnership between Việt Nam and Indonesia since their meeting in Labuan Bajo in May.

They affirmed that the two countries will step up all-level delegation exchanges in the time ahead, setting milestones for the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership in 2023 and looking towards the 70th founding anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations and the 80th anniversary of Việt Nam’s National Day and Indonesia’s Independence Day in 2025.

The two sides agreed to effectively optimise bilateral cooperation mechanisms and coordinate to well implement signed agreements, including bringing the signed document on maritime cooperation into effect soon, creating momentum to elevate the strategic partnership to a new height, towards a comprehensive strategic partnership in the near future.

PM Chính suggested the two countries maintain their trade ties in a more balanced way, striving to raise the bilateral trade revenue to US$15 billion by 2028, and suggested the two governments encourage businesses of the two countries to increase investment, especially in such new areas as digital economy, green economy, energy transition and e-vehicle ecosystem development.

He also called on Indonesia to ease the application of trade remedy measures against Vietnamese goods, thus facilitating the access of farm produce and Halal products originating from Việt Nam to the Indonesian market.

The two countries should cooperate in new, strategic supply chains and enhance cooperation in the areas in which both sides are interested, he said.

The PM suggested Indonesia recognise Việt Nam’s efforts in monitoring the operations of fishing boats, and minimising illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities.

President Widodo welcomed PM Chính to Indonesia to attend the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related meetings.

He thanked and highly appreciated Việt Nam's support for and active assistance to Indonesia's ASEAN Chairmanship in 2023.

President Widodo welcomed Vietnamese businesses, including VinFast, to invest in Indonesia and promote cooperation in the development of renewable energy and electric vehicle ecosystem.

The President suggested the two countries strengthen marine cooperation, and sustainable fishery cooperation and soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding on fishery cooperation.

Talking about regional and international issues, PM Chính affirmed that Việt Nam supports and works closely with Indonesia to ensure the success of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and the ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2023, contributing to strengthening solidarity, unity, and centrality of ASEAN and maintaining peace, stability, cooperation, and common development in the region.

Regarding the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea) issue, the two leaders reaffirmed their support for maintaining ASEAN's solidarity and agreed on principles in the East Sea issue, especially the early finalisation of an effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) between ASEAN and China in line with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

PM Chính conveyed the invitations of Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng and President Võ Văn Thưởng to President Widodo to visit Việt Nam soon. President Widodo accepted the invitations with pleasure. — VNA/VNS