Party General Secretary Tô Lâm (front, fifth from right), Speaker of the House of Regional Representatives of Indonesia Sultan Bachtiar Najamudin (front, seventh from right) and artists at the concert. VNA/VNS Photo

JAKARTA – General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Tô Lâm and his spouse, Ngô Phương Ly, attended a concert held in Jakarta on March 9 evening to celebrate the 70th founding anniversary of the Việt Nam – Indonesia diplomatic ties, part of his state visit to Indonesia and official visit to the ASEAN Secretariat there.  

The event also saw the presence of Speaker of the House of Regional Representatives of Indonesia Sultan Bachtiar Najamudin and his spouse, Rose Rudy.

In his opening remarks, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn affirmed that this was a special event within the framework of the Vietnamese Party leader’s trip to Indonesia.

He revealed that during this important visit, leaders of the two countries will discuss ways to deepen and further elevate the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation.

He expressed his delight at the thriving bilateral relations, stressing that political ties serve as a solid foundation for expanding all-round cooperation between the two countries.

Since the Strategic Partnership was established in 2013, bilateral relations have been expanded continuously, from politics, diplomacy, defence - security to economy, tourism, culture, and people-to-people exchanges, Sơn noted.

He showed his belief that after 70 years of development, with similar histories and many significant achievements, the friendship and cooperation between Việt Nam and Indonesia will continue to flourish, meeting their peoples' aspirations and contributing to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

The two sides will work together to lift the Việt Nam – Indonesia Strategic Partnership to a higher level as agreed on by their leaders, the official stated.

The Party chief's state visit to Indonesia marks a milestone, opening up a new chapter of cooperation that is more comprehensive, substantial, and aligned with the interests of the two countries’ peoples, he went on.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Minister of Culture Fadli Zon stressed that the relationship between the two countries was firmly established by President Hồ Chí Minh and President Sukarno, and has been cultivated by successive generations of leaders and citizens, becoming a precious and enduring asset of both nations. Since the diplomatic relations were set up in 1955, Việt Nam and Indonesia have stood side by side, nurturing a relationship built on mutual respect, shared values, and commitment to cooperation through both bilateral and multilateral frameworks of ASEAN.

He affirmed that the concert symbolises the beauty of cultures and music of both countries, with artists creating a symphony of hope, resilience, and unity. It also reflected the shared aspirations of the two peoples for the future while inspiring the younger generations to uphold the spirit of cooperation and friendship that has defined Vietnam–Indonesia relations over the past seven decades.

Affirming that both countries have made significant contributions to ASEAN for regional stability, economic development, and prosperity, he expressed his confidence that the younger generations will inherit and continue to nurture the bilateral ties.

The Hà Nội Philharmonic Orchestra under the Việt Nam National Academy of Music brought to the event performances by leading artists, introducing to Indonesian friends classical works from around the world, blending and interweaving with sounds characterised by traditional Vietnamese musical instruments, along with folk melodies and familiar songs from both countries. VNS