National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn (right) and Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian Regional Representative Council (upper house) H.Mahyudin had talks in Hà Nội on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam always attaches importance to and wants to develop the Việt Nam-Indonesia strategic partnership to a new height, National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn said while receiving Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian Regional Representative Council (upper house) H.Mahyudin in Hà Nội on Wednesday.

Mẫn congratulated Indonesia on successfully assuming the role of ASEAN Rotating Chairman and Chairman of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Council (AIPA) in 2023 as well as successfully organising its general election in February and achieving great achievements in economic development and ensuring social security.

Appreciating the cooperation between the two countries' legislative bodies over the past time, the NA Chairman stated that the two sides have shared experiences in legislation, creating a legal corridor to promote bilateral collaboration in various fields. The two countries have also closely coordinated and supported each other at international and regional forums, especially within the framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), AIPA and the United Nations.

Noting that ample room remains for the two countries’ cooperation, Mẫn proposed that in the coming time, the two sides should coordinate in carrying out the agreement on economic cooperation, striving to bring bilateral trade turnover to US$18 billion by 2028.

The two sides should expedite the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on fishery cooperation signed in January this year to strengthen cooperation in the field of fishery, develop sustainable fishery and aquaculture, and prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, he said.

The Vietnamese top legislator said he hoped that the two sides will further increase high- and all-level exchanges and meetings, and share experiences between the two legislative bodies, especially between their specialised committees, parliamentary friendship groups, and female and young parliamentarians.

For his part, Mahyudin expressed his expectations for closer relationship between the two countries, especially between the Senate of Indonesia and the National Assembly of Việt Nam.

He affirmed that inter-parliamentary cooperation is a solid foundation and the best way to strengthen the bilateral relations and expand the strategic partnership between the two countries, adding this meeting will contribute to creating synergy and improving the effectiveness of collaboration between the legislative bodies of Indonesia and Việt Nam.

Mahyudin hoped that in the coming time, the two countries will work side by side and cooperate with each other to overcome challenges in the region and the world.

Concurring with Mẫn's view on bringing the bilateral trade turnover to $18 billion by 2028, he said that the two sides need to concretise goals to enhance competitiveness in the region, including the fields of digital economy and renewable energy, and create conditions and legal corridors for businesses of the two countries to develop together. — VNS