President Jokowi-President of Vietnam Also Discusses Barriers to Indonesian Automotive Products

INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta - Indonesia and Vietnam have agreed to increase cooperation in various fields including trade, investment, eradication of fish theft, completion of the discussion of the Exclusive Economic Zone and regional peace.

President Joko Widodo said the trade trends of the two countries have continued to increase in recent times and their potential will continue to be explored and developed for the progress of the two countries.

Deputy for Protocol, Press and Media, Presidential Secretariat Bey Machmudin in a written statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday (9/11/2018), said President Joko Widodo and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang delivered a press statement meeting at the Vietnam Presidential Palace, Hanoi on Tuesday.

"In the past three years, our trade trend has been quite good and reached a value of 6.8 billion US dollars, we want to be able to reach 10 billion US dollars later in 2020," said President Jokowi as conveyed by Bey Machmuddin. One of the efforts to be carried out by the two countries is to eliminate trade barriers that currently still occur, including the export of Indonesian automotive products.

"I have asked the attention of President Tran Dai Quang so that trade barriers can be eliminated, including Indonesian automotive products," he said.

On that occasion, the Head of State also expressed the desire of Indonesian investors to develop their investments in Vietnam. Indonesian investors are one of the oldest and first investors in Vietnam.

"Therefore, I left to President Tran Di Quang to be able to protect Indonesian investors and provide fair and good treatment," he said.

Furthermore, Indonesia and Vietnam will also increase cooperation in a number of other fields. Both of them agreed to cooperate in terms of eradicating the theft of fish in their respective waters.

"Therefore, the government signed a 'joint communique' of IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) Fishing on this visit. This is very important," said the President.

Then, both President Joko Widodo and President Tran Dai Quang also agreed to intensify the settlement of the discussion of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the two countries.

 In addition, in the field of peace, President Joko Widodo also touched on the problem of the South China Sea (LTS). In this connection, Indonesia welcomed the progress of the negotiation process of the "code of conduct" in the LTS.

"I welcome the progress that has been achieved in the 'code of conduct' negotiations. This will certainly contribute greatly in ensuring the South China Sea becomes a safe, fair and peaceful region," said the President.

Before the joint press statement of the two leaders of the country, a bilateral meeting was attended by a number of ministers from each country. On that occasion, the two countries signed 2 memorandums of understanding witnessed directly by President Joko Widodo and President Tran Di Quang.

The two memorandums of understanding are the 2019-2023 Indonesia-Vietnam Strategic Partnership Action Plan signed by the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vietnam's Foreign Minister.

In addition, the Joint Communique is to combat illegal fishing and promote sustainable fisheries governance signed by the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam.

Also present at the bilateral meeting were Coordinating Minister for Political Law and Security Wiranto, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto, Head of BKPM Thomas Trikasih Lembong, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, and Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Ibnu Hadi.