Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his entourage are welcomed at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi by Chairman of the Presidential Office of Vietnam Le Khanh Hai. — VNA/VNS
HANOI: Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his entourage arrived in Hanoi on Thursday (Jan 11) afternoon, starting a three-day State visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong.
The Indonesian leader was accompanied by Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir, Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, Chief of the Presidential Staff Office Moeldoko, member of the Presidential Advisory Council Ambassador Gandi Sulistiyanto Soeherman and Indonesian Ambassador to Vetnam Denny Abdi.
They were welcomed at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi by the chairman of the Presidential Office of Vietnam Le Khanh Hai, chairman of the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee Tran Sy Thanh, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Ta Van Thong.
This is the second time Indonesian President Widodo has made a State visit to Vietnam, after the first in September 2018.
The visit is expected to contribute to tightening the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Indonesia, which has been nurtured and developed for nearly 70 years.
Other than official talks with Vietnamese counterpart Vo Van Thuong, the Indonesian leader will also hold discussions with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chinh, and chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue during his trip.
Vietnam is Indonesia's sole strategic partner in the Asean bloc.
"Welcoming President Joko Widodo to Vietnam it is a testament to Vietnam's persistent and consistent policies of attaching great importance to relations with our neighbouring countries in Asean, including Indonesia," spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said.
As part of the visit, high level leaders of both countries will discuss measures and direction in various areas of cooperation such as economic cooperation, trade investment, security, defence, agriculture, in order to further promote the traditional friendship and the strategic partnership in a more in depth and meaningful manner.
Both sides will also discuss issues, regional and international issues of mutual interest.
Inside Asean, Indonesia is the third largest trade partner of Vietnam and Vietnam is the fourth largest trade partner of Indonesia.
Corporation in other important sectors such as transportation, agriculture, people-to-people exchanges, locality-to-locality cooperation continues to be enhanced in post Covid-19 periods, Hang noted.
The two countries maintain close coordination in adopting a firm stance at regional and international forums in Asean, the United Nations, Apec, the non-aligned movement, among others, according to the spokeswoman. — Vietnam News/ANN
