Decade-old Ties Between Vietnam And RI Strong As Ever

Jakarta - They may produce similar goods and compete for foreign direct investments, and be regional powerhouses with enormous populations, but Vietnam and Indonesia have shared close, unwavering economic and diplomatic ties for decades.

“Our relationship with Indonesia is traditional and long term. We have been friends now for already 59 years,” the Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia, Nguyen Huu Dzung, told The Jakarta Post in an interview Monday on the 64th anniversary of Vietnam`s independence.

On Sept, 2, 1945, Vietnam declared its independence and was renamed the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, known today as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

“The declaration opened a new era of independence, freedom, and social progress for Vietnam as a nation,” Ambassador Dzung said.

Both Indonesia and Vietnam established diplomatic relations on Dec. 30, 1955.

Dzung, who submitted his credentials to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Nov. 30, 2007, said bilateral relations in political, cultural and economic fields had been growing at an ever-increasing rate.

“We have close cooperation with Indonesia both at regional and international level. Recently, both countries became non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. We worked together on many international and regional issues at the Security Council,” Dzung said.

In an effort to strengthen the existing relations, both countries signed the Declaration on the Framework of Friendly and Comprehensive Partnership Entering the 21st Century in 2003.

“It`s a milestone in our bilateral relationship. This will take us toward building a strategic partnership between the two countries,” Dzung said.

“We already have the framework to build this comprehensive partnership with Indonesia. It will be my main mission to build on this,” Djung said.

More than 40 agreements and memorandums of understanding have been signed between Indonesia and Vietnam.

“Besides these agreements, we have had several high-level exchanges, including presidential visits, ministerial and official visits. These have laid a strong foundation for our partnership,” Dzung said.

Economically, trade relations have been progressing by leaps and bounds.

“Last year, our two-way trade reached almost US$2.5 billion. We hope trade will remain as robust in 2009 despite difficulties resulting from the global financial crisis,” Dzung said.

“We set a target of $3 billion in trade with Indonesia by 2010. I am confident we can achieve this target.”

In fact, in the last five years, trade between the two nations has more than doubled (see graphic).

Vietnam mainly exports oil, coffee, high-quality coal, garments, seafood, pepper, cashewnuts and rice to Indonesia while importing steel, palm oil, coal, garments, chemicals, automotive spare parts and electronic equipment.

Dzung said Vietnam was an attractive place for investments.

“We invite Indonesian investors to look at Vietnam for their investment needs. We will also encourage our investors to look toward Indonesia,” Dzung said.

Despite the global financial crisis, Dzung said, Vietnam attracted $8.7 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) during the first six months of this year.

Data from Indonesia`s Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) show the FDI in the first half of this year reached $5.39 billion, a drop of 48 percent compared to the same period last year.

Dzung said several Indonesian companies have already invested in Vietnam.

“Indonesian businesses have invested nearly $200 million through 22 projects in the field of oil and gas exploration, coal, banking, hotels, wood processing, polyester production and garments,” Dzung said.

Culturally, Dzung said Indonesia had offered several scholarships to Vietnamese students to encourage them to study here.

“We appreciate Indonesia`s efforts to build cultural links very much. We are also planning to open a Vietnamese study center in Gajah Mada University in Yogyakarta,” Dzung said.

This year Vietnam will assume the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from Thailand.

“The year 2009 also marks a new milestone in Vietnam`s full and in-depth integration into the region and the world. We will be the chairman of ASEAN. We will work closely with Indonesia to develop the ASEAN community by 2015,” Dzung said.

Dzung, one of Vietnam`s top diplomats, joined the foreign service in 1973. During his more than three decades of distinguished diplomatic service, Dzung had worked in several African and Middle Eastern countries. Veeramalla Anjaiah

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/

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