Hà Nội — President Trần Đại Quang yesterday received Indonesian Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita who is visiting the country to attend a meeting at the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Speaking at the reception, President Quang praised the development of Việt Nam-Indonesia relations in recent years, especially since the two countries formally established a strategic partnership in June 2013.

He proposed that the two sides increase high-level diplomatic exchanges and extended an invitation for the Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his wife to visit Việt Nam.

President Quang urged the two sides to actively prepare for the 7th session of the Joint Committee on Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation scheduled to take place in August this year in Việt Nam, with the aim of promoting further economic and trade co-operation between the two countries. Việt Nam and Indonesia are striving to achieve bilateral trade turnover of US$10 billion soon.

The two sides were also asked to maintain co-operation in the field of rice trading to ensure food security of the two countries.

On the issue of Vietnamese fishermen and boats which were seized by Indonesian authorities, President Quang asked Indonesia to refrain from destroying the fishing vessels, and instead work to solve the issue in accordance with the strategic partnership between Việt Nam and Indonesia.

Indonesian Trade Minister Engaghiasto Lukita conveyed the greetings of President Joko Widodo to his Vietnamese counterpart.

He affirmed that Indonesia attaches great importance to developing relations with Việt Nam, especially in the fields of economy and trade.

Speaking of bilateral trade, which reached US$5.6 billion turnover last year, the Indonesian Trade Minister believed the target of $10 billion by 2018 is an achievable target.

The minister said he would convey Việt Nam’s petition to Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries on the issue of the Vietnamese fishermen and boats seized by Indonesia. — VNS