Hanoi (VNA) – As Indonesia’sonly strategic partner within the ASEAN bloc, Vietnam will always be animportant partner to the nation, stated Indonesian Foreign MinisterRetno L.P Marsudi in an annual press statement in Jakarta on January 9.
Thestatement highlighted the country foreignpolicy achievements over the last four years, as well as diplomaticorientations for 2019.
It stressed that 2018 is a special year for bilateralrelations between Indonesia and Vietnam.
Whilerecalling important events for Vietnam-Indonesia relations in 2018, Marsudi underscored Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s statevisit to Hanoi on September 11-12 where he attended the World Economic Forum(WEF) on ASEAN. The visit coincided with the fifth anniversary of theIndonesia-Vietnam Strategic Partnership. In a bilateral meeting in thePresidential Palace, President Widodo and Vietnamese State President Tran DaiQuang witnessed the signing of the Indonesia-Vietnam Strategic PartnershipAction Plan for 2019-2023.
In line with Indonesia’s foreign policy priorities, the Indonesian FM expressedthat her nation is looking forward to cooperating with Vietnam in acceleratingthe completion of negotiations over the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ),protecting Indonesian citizens living in Vietnam, boosting economic cooperation,and maintaining regional security and stability.
The two sides are jointly implementing one of the concrete efforts to achieve a bilateral trade target of 10billion USD in 2020, the statement said.
It also underlined foreign policy achievements in the four priority fields of maintainingsovereignty, protecting Indonesian citizens and legal entities abroad,strengthening Indonesia’s economic diplomacy, and enhancing its regional andglobal role.
In the statement, Marsudialso stressed the importance ofsecurity and stability in Southeast Asia, adding that it is for the mutualbenefit of Indonesia and other ASEAN countries.
She added that ASEAN should be proactive in addressing strategic developmentand changes in the region.
Regarding the East Sea, Indonesia wants to ensure that the Declaration on theConduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) continues to be implemented. –VNA