Vietnam and Indonesia agreed to work together to bring their two-way trade to over US$15 billion in the years ahead, according to the outcomes of talks held on Friday between Vietnam’s National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and Indonesia’s Speaker of the People’s Representative Council Puan Maharani during the top Vietnamese legislator’s ongoing official visit to Indonesia.

Chairman Hue suggested Indonesia create favorable conditions for Vietnamese farm produce to enter the Indonesian market, especially Halah food and local fruits such as lychees and longans.

Halal refers to food products and services that adhere to Muslim law. The food is processed, manufactured and transported under stringent Islamic rules.

He also proposed the Indonesian side continue its favorable conditions to encourage more Vietnamese firms to operate in this archipelagic country.

The two Southeast Asian nations will also facilitate trade, remove trade barriers, and stimulate the growth of new supply chains, as well as make the most of each other’s advantages.

Vietnam’s National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (L) and Indonesia’s Speaker of the People’s Representative Council Puan Maharani sign a cooperation deal between the two legislatures of the two countries. Photo: Vietnam News Agency

The two leaders agreed on major orientations to promote the bilateral partnership in the years ahead, including efforts to facilitate high-level visits and people-to-people exchange, beef up parliamentary cooperation and collaboration among localities in the two countries.

They also agreed to strengthen cooperation in other important fields such as culture, education, tourism, and aviation.

The two top officials expressed the same wish of launching a direct air route linking Hanoi with Jakarta, in addition to ramping up the settling of issues related to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Chairman Hue at the talks invited the Speaker of the People’s Representative Council of Indonesia to visit Vietnam.

In response, the top Indonesian official accepted the invitation with pleasure, adding that Indonesia will send a delegation to attend the ninth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians in Vietnam next month.

The two wrapped up the talks with the signing of a cooperation deal between the two lawmaking bodies, adding that they co-chaired a press briefing to inform the media of the outcomes of their talks.

Earlier, Chairman Hue arrived in Jakarta on Friday, beginning his official visit to Indonesia where he will also attend the 44th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-44).

The visit is made at the invitation of Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives and AIPA President Puan Maharani.

This is his first Indonesia visit as the head of the Vietnamese lawmaking body as well as the first of a top Vietnamese legislator to Indonesia after 13 years.

The visit takes place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership and the upcoming 70th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2025.

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