General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam and his wife will pay a State visit to the Republic of Indonesia, an official visit to the ASEAN Secretariat and an official visit to the Republic of Singapore, from March 9 to 13, at the invitation of the President of Indonesia, Chairman of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) Prabowo Subianto, Secretary-General of ASEAN Kao Kim Hourn and the Prime Minister of Singapore, Secretary-General of the Singapore People's Action Party (PAP) Lawrence Wong.
This is General Secretary To Lam's first visit to Indonesia, the ASEAN Secretariat and Singapore in his capacity as General Secretary of the Party Central Committee. The visit is of special significance as it takes place at a time of many important events for Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore and ASEAN. 2025 marks the 70th anniversary of Vietnam-Indonesia diplomatic relations and the 30th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to ASEAN. Vietnam and Singapore have just celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
2025 marks the 30th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to ASEAN.
Maintaining a proactive, positive and responsible spirit, over the past 30 years, Vietnam has always stood side by side with member countries in efforts to maintain solidarity, unity and promote the central role of the "common home", for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.
The year 2025 marks a special milestone for both Vietnam on its journey of regional integration and for the Association as it prepares to enter a new phase, after a 10-year journey of promoting the process of building the three pillars of politics-security, economy and culture-society of the ASEAN Community.
Having successfully assumed the role of ASEAN Chair twice in 2010 and 2020, Vietnam has actively and seriously implemented policies to promote intra-bloc solidarity and self-reliance of its members, thereby contributing to the central role of the Association and the positive results of the ASEAN Community building process.
ASEAN continues to develop and innovate, becoming a successful regional organization in the world, effectively contributing to dialogue and cooperation for peace, stability, development and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region in general and Southeast Asia in particular, while responsibly participating with the international community in responding to common challenges.
From promoting the formation of ASEAN-10 to expand the membership group in the late 1990s, to important documents such as the 2001 Hanoi Declaration on narrowing the development gap, the Hanoi Action Plan 1999-2004, the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ), the Hanoi Declaration on building the ASEAN Community Vision after 2025... Vietnam's imprints at the "common home" have made practical contributions in shaping the Association's strategic decisions over the past 30 years.
The ASEAN flag flies at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 57th anniversary of ASEAN's founding and the 29th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to ASEAN, August 8, 2024. Photo: THUY NGUYEN
The ASEAN Future Forum (AFF), after two successful events in Hanoi, has gradually become a model of a true ASEAN forum, for ASEAN. ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn highly appreciated the role of the AFF as an important bridge to help the region adapt quickly to international fluctuations, contributing to helping the Association move forward steadily and maintain its central role in the regional structure.
In addition to efforts to promote intra-bloc and regional connectivity, Vietnam has effectively promoted its bridging role in expanding ASEAN's external relations with other countries and regions, thereby bringing ASEAN into deeper and deeper participation in global processes, promoting multilateral cooperation and raising ASEAN's voice at international forums.
In its role as coordinator of relations between ASEAN and its partners such as China, India, Japan, South Korea, the UK and New Zealand, Vietnam has left a deep impression of sincerity and trust. Throughout its participation in the Association, Vietnam has always given top priority to maintaining ASEAN solidarity and unity, ensuring the sustainability of established rules and norms, contributing to strengthening a united, resilient and open ASEAN Community.
RESPECTING THE TRADITION OF FRIENDSHIP
General Secretary To Lam received Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto during his working visit to Vietnam, Hanoi, September 13, 2024. Photo: DANG KHOA
Indonesia was the first Southeast Asian country to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1955. On the solid foundation of the traditional friendship built by President Ho Chi Minh and President Sukarno, and continuously cultivated by generations of leaders and people of the two countries, after 70 years, the cooperative relationship between the two countries has become increasingly comprehensive and extensive.
The two countries maintain regular high-level visits and contacts, and political trust between the two countries is increasingly consolidated. The Communist Party of Vietnam has official relations with the Career Party (Golkar) and the Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P). Political parties in Indonesia always express their respect for the role and position of the Communist Party of Vietnam and their desire to promote cooperation.
With the upgrading of the Vietnam-Indonesia Strategic Partnership in 2013, cooperation in all areas from trade-investment, security-defense to people-to-people and cultural exchanges, policy coordination at multilateral forums... has increasingly deepened.
Economic cooperation between the two countries has recorded many positive results, with bilateral trade turnover increasing fourfold in the past 10 years, reaching about 16.7 billion USD in 2024. Within ASEAN, Indonesia is Vietnam's second largest trading partner and Vietnam is Indonesia's fourth largest trading partner. The two countries' senior leaders set a target of reaching 18 billion USD in trade turnover by 2028.
Indonesia currently has more than 120 investment projects in Vietnam, with a total registered capital of about 680 million USD. Vietnamese enterprises also tend to increase investment, promote production activities, and build consumer and culinary brands in Indonesia. The growth rate of Vietnamese investment in Indonesia over the past 10 years (2014-2024) has reached a record high, with a total investment value of more than 66 billion USD.
Both Vietnam and Indonesia have agreed on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) framework. Through this, in addition to accessing each other's markets, the two countries also have great opportunities to access regional markets and ASEAN partner markets around the world.
Vietnam-Indonesia bilateral trade turnover has quadrupled over the past 10 years, reaching about 16.7 billion USD in 2024.
Many agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) have been signed by the two countries in various fields such as defense, security, cross-border crime prevention, agriculture, fisheries, energy, justice, education, communications, tourism, and people-to-people exchange.
Vietnam and Indonesia aim to strengthen friendly relations through cultural exchange programs, joint research initiatives and cooperative efforts to preserve and promote traditional artistic, musical and culinary heritage.
In particular, cooperation between localities has recorded many positive results, in which the two sides have established four pairs of twin provinces/cities, including Hanoi-Jakarta, Hue-Yogyakarta, Ba Ria-Vung Tau-Padang and Soc Trang-Lampung.
Vietnam and Indonesia share many interests and strategic views on regional and international issues, especially within the framework of the United Nations, ASEAN and the East Sea issue. In 2022, the two countries signed an Agreement on the Delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), ensuring the equitable interests of both sides, in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This is an important historical milestone in the relationship between the two countries, contributing positively to peace, stability and cooperation in the region.
TOGETHER PRIORITIZE DEVELOPMENT
General Secretary To Lam had a phone call with Singaporean Prime Minister and Secretary General of the Singapore People's Action Party (PAP) Lawrence Wong, Hanoi, December 20, 2024. Photo: DANG KHOA
Vietnam and Singapore established diplomatic relations in 1973 and upgraded them to a strategic partnership in 2013. The relationship between the two countries is at a particularly good stage, with increasingly consolidated political trust, close economic and investment cooperation, and close people-to-people exchanges, creating a driving force for the two countries to move towards bringing bilateral relations to new heights.
The two countries regularly exchange delegations at all levels and effectively implement cooperation mechanisms. The Communist Party of Vietnam maintains good cooperation with the ruling PAP. Leaders of the two parties regularly exchange opinions on experiences in building and developing the country.
Singapore is Vietnam's leading economic partner. Economic cooperation between the two countries has developed strongly and achieved many substantial achievements in trade, investment and connectivity. Singapore is currently the leading investor in Vietnam. One of the successful symbols of economic cooperation is the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIP). To date, there have been 18 VSIPs in 13 provinces and cities, attracting more than 18.7 billion USD in investment capital, creating jobs for more than 300,000 workers.
The Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIP) are one of the successful symbols of economic cooperation between the two countries. Photo: VNA
Vietnam currently has 153 investment projects in Singapore, with a total registered capital of over 690 million USD. Bilateral trade turnover in 2024 is estimated at 10.3 billion USD. Bilateral trade relations are increasingly vibrant and balanced. Total two-way trade turnover in 2024 is expected to reach over 10 billion USD, an increase of nearly 15% compared to 2023.
In particular, the Green Economy-Digital Economy Partnership between the two countries continues to open up new prospects, promising strong growth in the coming time. The two sides are promoting cooperation in key and potential areas such as digital transformation, clean energy, carbon credit exchange, cyber security, emerging technologies, etc.
The two countries have signed a bilateral defense cooperation agreement (2022), effectively implementing cooperation in new security areas such as cyber security and cross-border crime prevention. The two countries have signed a mutual legal assistance agreement on criminal matters (2024).
Cooperation in education and human resource training is a highlight in bilateral relations. The two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on educational cooperation (2023); established twinning between training institutions and provided each other with many scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate training; and exchanged many delegations of officials, lecturers, students and pupils from both countries.
The two sides signed a tourism cooperation agreement (in 1994) and a memorandum of understanding on cruise tourism cooperation (in 2015). Singapore is an important tourist market, among the top 15 markets sending tourists to Vietnam, while Vietnam is among the top 10 tourist markets of Singapore.
Publication date: 03/09/2025
Implementing organization: CHU HONG THANG - PHAM TRUONG SON
Content: NINH SON - VU PHONG
Photo: NHAN DAN NEWSPAPER, VNA
Presented by: TRUNG HUNG
Nhandan.vn
Source: https://special.nhandan.vn/cung-co-doan-ket-asean-indonesia-singapore/index.html
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