General Secretary To Lam's visit to Indonesia is evidence of firm commitments of the two countries to promote cooperation: Indonesian Ambassador
WVR - On the occasion of General Secretary To Lam and his Spouse's state visit to Indonesia and official visit to the ASEAN Secretariat, the Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Denny Abdi shared with the World and Vietnam Report his expectations for a new milestone in bilateral relations.
Latest
 |
| General Secretary To Lam arrives in Jakarta, starting his state visit to Indonesia and official visit to the ASEAN Secretariat on March 9. (Photo: Tuan Anh) |
What are the significances and your expectations of the Party General Secretary To Lam's visit to our relations?
The visit of Vietnam’s top leadership, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam to Indonesia on 9-11 March marks the strong relations between both countries. This is the first visit by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam since 2017, and the first visit by H.E. To Lam to Indonesia since appointed as General Secretary last year.
 |
| Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Denny Abdi. (Photo: Indonesia's embassy in Hanoi) |
In recent years, high-level visits between both countries have been intensified. In 2024, President Joko Widodo paid a state visit to Vietnam in January, followed by the official visit of President-elect Prabowo Subianto in September. In October of the same year, Indonesia welcomed the attendance of Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan at the inauguration ceremony of President Prabowo.
These intensive visits in general and the visit of General Secretary To Lam in particular are evidence of the firm commitments of the two countries to promote cooperation on many issues of mutual concern, including bilateral cooperation for the benefit of the people of the two countries, for peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world.
With the long-standing friendship founded by President Ho Chi Minh and President Soekarno even before our independence and remarkable progress since the two countries established a Strategic Partnership in 2013, General Secretary To Lam's visit is expected to upgrade the bilateral to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. I am confident that this visit will provide substantial benefits for the people of the two countries.
On the eve of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations, what do you think about a new height in the relationship between the two countries?
The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) will better reflect the bilateral achievements in recent years as well as on our commitments towards a shared future - building upon the momentum of our 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations. In 2024, bilateral cooperation reached significant heights, including two-way bilateral trade reaching $16.7 billion, and two-way investment reaching $91.1 million in 2024.
The CSP will further propel our efforts in reaching our goals, including reaching our $18 billion bilateral trade target in 2028, and our shared vision of becoming high-income countries by 2045.
 |
| General Secretary To Lam (then General Secretary and President) received Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto (then President-elect) during his visit to Vietnam in September 2024. (Photo: Tuan Anh). |
With the new height of bilateral relations, in the coming time, what areas will Indonesia focus on cooperation with Vietnam?
Indonesia and Vietnam will continue to promote strong cooperation in established sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, trade, and investment. In line with the CSP, we will also expand cooperation to other sectors in line with our strengths, potential, and vision, such as high-tech industries, emerging technologies and sustainable development.
To further unlock the potential of our partnership, Indonesia and Vietnam need to prioritize promoting collaboration in high value-added and research-based industries. This includes semiconductors, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, and digital economy. Such sectors will create breakthroughs and foster rapid economic growth.
Hence promoting cooperation in science and technology, education and people-to-people exchange is crucial. For instance, in February 2025, students from Praxis High School Indonesia competed in the FIRST Tech Challenge Vietnam Champion hosted by FPT University. Such competitions need to be expanded, both to create a playground for young people to gain experience and to provide an opportunity to exchange and learn from each other.
Cooperation in the Halal industry is also one to look forward to. If this can be fostered, then Indonesia and Vietnam can unlock new trade and investment opportunities, particularly to fulfill the rising demand of Halal products and services in the region. The construction of Masjid Salamad Indonesia in An Giang Province, which is scheduled to be completed this year, is expected to pave the way for collaboration between the two countries.
How could Vietnam and Indonesia cooperate to address challenges in the current complex geopolitical context while seizing new development opportunities?
As two of the most populous nations in Southeast Asia, Indonesia and Vietnam have much in common in terms of values, aspirations, and the challenges we face. Amidst an uncertain geopolitical landscape, there are several avenues where we can strengthen our cooperation, tackle shared challenges, and seize new development opportunities.
In this sense, both countries must leverage each other’s strengths, and complement each other in addressing regional and global challenges. The ASEAN Future Forum hosted by Vietnam over the past 2 years serves as a good example on how ASEAN countries should approach emerging challenges going forward - by promoting dialogue to discuss solutions, share best practices, and learn from each other’s experiences.
In the region, the good relations between ASEAN member states are the foundations for peace, stability and prosperity in ASEAN. Hence Indonesia and Vietnam need to continue their commitment in promoting ASEAN's unity and central role, striving to build a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region to create a solid foundation for prosperity and sustainable development for the region as well as the world.
Multimedia
Infographics Photos Videos E magazine
