Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi co-chaired the fifth meeting of the Vietnam-Indonesia Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) in Hanoi on April 24, 2024. (Photo: Tuan Anh)

Foreign Minister Son congratulated Indonesia on its successful general election earlier this year, believed that Indonesia would continue to prosper, elevate its position on the international arena, and become a developed country by 2045, its 100th founding anniversary.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marsudi, for her part, affirmed that Indonesia always values and wishes to further enhance its strategic partnership with Vietnam. She hailed Vietnam's successful organisation of the ASEAN Future Forum, which has significantly contributed to promoting the building of a strong and self-reliant ASEAN Community, upholding its central and pioneering role in coping with regional challenges.

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son suggested that both sides create favourable conditions for their businesses to expand and diversify investments

The two Foreign Ministers agreed to further facilitate all-level exchanges and meetings, effectively uphold existing cooperation mechanisms, expedite the completion of the action plan for the 2024-2028 period, contributing to fostering political trust and deepening bilateral cooperation in various fields, toward elevating bilateral relationship to new heights.

Indonesia is currently Vietnam's third largest trading partner while Vietnam is the fourth biggest trading partner of Indonesia in ASEAN. Two-way trade hit 14 billion USD in 2023, and reached 3.6 billion USD in the first quarter of 2024, up 20% annually.

Toward a two-way trade of 18 billion USD by 2028, with a more balanced fashion, both sides pledged to encourage the early organisation of a meeting of the Joint Commission on economic, scientific and technical cooperation, hold trade promotion activities and help firms access each other's markets.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marsudi stressed that Indonesian enterprises are increasingly interested in expanding their investments in Vietnam. (Photo: Tuan Anh)

Minister Marsudi stressed that Indonesian enterprises are increasingly interested in expanding their investments in Vietnam. In reply, Minister Son suggested that both sides create favourable conditions for their businesses to expand and diversify investments, particularly in new and promising fields such as green economy, circular economy, renewable energy, semiconductor industry, digital economy, electric vehicles and Halal cooperation.

Host and guest vowed to reinforce collaboration in national defence-security, fight against cross-border crimes, including cyber and human trafficking crimes. They also encouraged promoting air connectivity and increased cooperation in agriculture, aquaculture, education, tourism and people-to-people exchange.

The two Foreign Ministers signed the Minutes of Agreement of the 5th meeting of the Vietnam-Indonesia Bilateral Cooperation Committee. (Photo: Tuan Anh)

On the global and regional issues of shared concern, including the East Sea and Myanmar issues, they promised to continue offering mutual support at multilateral and regional organisations and forums, such as the United Nations, ASEAN, and sub-regional cooperation.

The two sides concurred to maintain ASEAN’s solidarity and agreed principles on the East Sea issue to ensure regional peace, stability and prosperity on the basis international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The sixth meeting of the Vietnam-Indonesia Bilateral Cooperation Committee scheduled to be held in Indonesia in 2026. (Photo: Tuan Anh)

They also pledged to step up the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and actively push for the early conclusion of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) that is in line with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS.

A group photo at the end of the meeting. (Photo: Tuan Anh)

At the end of the meeting, the two Foreign Ministers signed the Minutes of Agreement of the 5th session of the Vietnam-Indonesia Bilateral Cooperation Committee.The sixth meeting of its kind is scheduled to be held in Indonesia in 2026.