Indonesian press unanimously reported on the visit of General Secretary To Lam.

On March 7, Indonesian media simultaneously reported that 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 Secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and an official visit to the Republic of Singapore from March 9-13.

General Secretary To Lam . Photo: Thong Nhat - VNA

These visits were at the invitation of Indonesian President - Chairman of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) Prabowo Subianto; ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn and Singapore Prime Minister - Secretary-General of the Singapore People's Action Party (PAP) Lawrence Wong.

According to a VNA reporter in Jakarta, articles emphasized that the visit will promote cooperation between Indonesia and Vietnam, and open up new cooperation opportunities in many fields.

National news agency Antara reported "Vietnam's Communist Party leader to visit Indonesia" (article screenshot).

Antara news agency commented that the visit not only aims to strengthen bilateral relations but also opens up opportunities for cooperation in areas such as economics , culture and education. The visit is expected to create new momentum for cooperation between Vietnam and Indonesia, while contributing to promoting the development and prosperity of both countries.

Beritasatu stated that Indonesia is currently Vietnam’s second largest trading partner in ASEAN. Trade between the two countries reached 16.7 billion USD last year, up 21.6% compared to 2023. The two countries aim to reach 18 billion USD in two-way trade by 2028.

Beritasatu also pointed out that one of the biggest achievements in Indonesia-Vietnam relations is the Agreement on the Delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) signed in December 2022, after 12 years of negotiations. This is a milestone in bilateral relations, opening up great opportunities for maritime cooperation and exploitation of marine resources. In addition, the agreement also emphasizes the importance of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), while strengthening ASEAN solidarity in resolving the East Sea issue.

According to Beritasatu, in addition to economic cooperation, General Secretary To Lam's visit also aimed to discuss tourism cooperation between the two countries, which is experiencing significant growth. In 2023, Vietnam welcomed 105,000 tourists from Indonesia, an increase of nearly 200% compared to 2022. This trend is expected to continue as the relationship between the two countries deepens.

Beritasatu hopes that General Secretary To Lam's visit will further strengthen the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia in many fields, while promoting cooperation in the ASEAN region.

Meanwhile, the Sinarharapan website emphasizes that Vietnam and Indonesia have a long-standing diplomatic relationship. 70 years ago, Indonesia became the first Southeast Asian country to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam. This website reviews the milestones of the two countries becoming Comprehensive Partners in 2003 and Strategic Partners in 2013. To date, Indonesia is Vietnam's only strategic partner in Southeast Asia.

Republika online newspaper reported "General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam visits Indonesia for the first time" (article screenshot).

Over the past 70 years, despite global and regional changes, Vietnam and Indonesia have remained close friends and important partners. Indonesia has 123 projects operating in Vietnam with a total investment of 682 million USD. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s investment in Indonesia is also increasing. The two sides also cooperate on security to enhance and support regional peace and stability. Other cooperation activities such as education, culture, agriculture, energy and law also continue to develop.

Regarding Vietnam's role in ASEAN, Sinarharapan stated that Vietnam officially joined ASEAN on July 28, 1995 as the 7th member. Vietnam considers ASEAN a top priority in its foreign policy. Recently, Vietnam successfully hosted the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 in Hanoi, affirming its commitment to cooperation and regional leadership.
The Republik newspaper quoted the Indonesian Foreign Ministry as saying that the country currently ranks 29th out of 143 countries investing in Vietnam. Vietnamese investment in Indonesia is also increasing, including the establishment of a VinFast electric car factory worth 1.2 billion USD in July 2024.

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Indonesia and Vietnam have a common vision of becoming a high-income country by 2045. With General Secretary To Lam's visit, the two sides will agree on plans for various innovation cooperation activities, to jointly achieve this vision by strengthening cooperation focusing on food security (agriculture and fisheries), digital, renewable energy and high-tech industry.

Rhododendron (Vietnam News Agency)

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/the-gioi/bao-chi-indonesia-dong-loat-dua-tin-ve-chuyen-tham-cua-tong-bi-thu-to-lam-20250307202409534.htm