An art performance at the event. (Photo: VNA)

In his welcoming remarks, Vice President of the Vietnam-Indonesia Friendship Association’s Ho Chi Minh City chapter, Nguyen Thanh Tuan said Vietnam and Indonesia are Southeast Asian neighbours that share a racial and cultural affinity and a history of struggling for independence.

Vietnam-Indonesia multifaceted ties have been constantly reinforced and expanded, he said, adding that the two countries have increased political closeness with high trust and more regular exchanges and meetings at all levels.

Their cooperation has also seen progress in the fields of not only politics and diplomacy, but also trade, investment, national defence and security, agriculture, fisheries, energy, aviation, culture, education and tourism.

By the end of 2021, Indonesia ranked 31st out of 116 countries and territories investing in HCM City, running 56 FDI projects worth over 41 million USD, Tuan continued. HCM City also remains the host of various economic, trade, cultural and educational activities between Vietnam and Indonesia.

Consul General of Indonesia in Ho Chi Minh City Agustaviano Sofjan said Vietnam and Indonesia share a time-tested relationship. Since the establishment of their diplomatic ties in 1955, leaders and people of the two countries have nurtured and developed their bilateral relationship in all areas, and elevated it to a Strategic Partnership in 2013, he said.

Despite COVID-19, last year, two-way trade reached 11.4 billion USD, topping the goal set by leaders of the two sides.

The Indonesian diplomat pledged that the Consulate General of Indonesia will do its best to tighten bilateral relations through government-to-government, business-to-business, and people-to-people cooperation. It also plans to ramp up cultural and educational exchanges to foster friendship and solidarity between the two countries' people.