Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his entourage are welcomed at Nội Bài International Airport in Hà Nội by Chairman of the Presidential Office of Việt Nam Lê Khánh Hải. — VNA/VNS Photo An Đăng

HÀ NỘI — Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his entourage arrived in Hà Nội on Thursday afternoon, starting a three-day State visit to Việt Nam at the invitation of Vietnamese President Võ Văn Thưởng.

The Indonesian leader was accompanied by Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir, Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, Chief of the Presidential Staff Office Moeldoko, member of the Presidential Advisory Council Ambassador Gandi Sulistiyanto Soeherman and Indonesian Ambassador to Việt Nam Denny Abdi.

They were welcomed at Nội Bài International Airport in Hà Nội by Chairman of the Presidential Office of Việt Nam Lê Khánh Hải, Chairman of the Hà Nội municipal People’s Committee Trần Sỹ Thanh, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hà Kim Ngọc, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Tạ Văn Thông.

This is the second time Indonesian President Widodo has made a State visit to Việt Nam, after the first in September 2018.

The visit is expected to contribute to tightening the traditional friendship between Việt Nam and Indonesia, which has been nurtured and developed for nearly 70 years.

Other than official talks with Vietnamese counterpart Võ Văn Thưởng, the Indonesian leader will also hold discussions with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Nguyễn Phú Trọng, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, and Chairman of the National Assembly Vương Đình Huệ during his trip.

Việt Nam is Indonesia's sole Strategic Partner in the ASEAN bloc.

"Welcoming President Joko Widodo to Việt Nam it is a testament to Việt Nam's persistent and consistent policies of attaching great importance to relations with our neighbouring countries in ASEAN, including Indonesia," spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Phạm Thu Hằng said.

As part of the visit, high level leaders of both countries will discuss measures and direction in various areas of cooperation such as economic cooperation, trade investment, security, defence, agriculture, in order to further promote the traditional friendship and the strategic partnership in a more in depth and meaningful manner.

Both sides will also discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest, Hằng noted.

Inside ASEAN, Indonesia is the third largest trade partner of Việt Nam and Việt Nam is the fourth largest trade partner of Indonesia.

Corporation in other important sectors such as transportation, agriculture, people-to-people exchanges, locality-to-locality cooperation continues to be enhanced in post COVID-19 periods, Hằng noted.

The two countries maintain close coordination in adopting a firm stance at regional and international forums in ASEAN, the United Nations, APEC, the non-aligned movement, among others, according to the spokeswoman. — VNS