Bali (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen XuanPhuc and Indonesian President Joko Widodo have stressed the need to createbreakthroughs in bilateral economic cooperation, making it the main pillar ofthe strategic partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia.

During their talks in Bali, Indonesia, on October 12, the leaders exchangedviews on orientations to deepen the bilateral ties and elevate cooperationbetween the two countries to a new high, bringing tangible benefits to theirpeople.   

They agreed to lift bilateral trade to 10 billion USD by facilitating marketaccess for each other’s goods, reducing technical barriers, simplifying customsprocedures and closely cooperating in product origin inspection and quarantine.

Apart from further facilitating the operation of businesses, the two sides willcreate dialogue mechanisms between businesses as well as between businesses andgovernments to swiftly settle bottlenecks hindering investigation and businessactivities.

The leaders consented to review the 1990 agreement on economic, commercial andtechnical cooperation and consider making the Joint Trade and EconomicCommission the leading mechanism in promoting bilateral economic ties.

The leaders concurred to expand collaboration to such new areas as digitaltechnology, new technology, intellectual property, clean energy, smart city,information-technology, smart agriculture, logistics and startup ecosystem,aiming to utilise opportunities generated by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The two leaders stressed the need to further strengthen maritime cooperation,and agreed to assign the two countries’ competent agencies to study theestablishment of a marine cooperation mechanism to discuss related cooperation,especially in fishing, seafood processing, and building a favourable frameworkfor their fishermen’s operation in a safe, sustainable and legal manner.

PM Phuc thanked the Indonesian Government for the return of 177 Vietnamesefishermen arrested and detained in Indonesia, proposing both sides regularlyexchange information and handle the issue of arrested fishermen and fishingvessels in a humanitarian spirit and in accordance with the good relationsbetween two countries.

The two sides agreed to accelerate the establishment of a hotline on fishingand sea-related issues, while actively coordinating to implement the joint communiquéon voluntarily international cooperation against illegal, unreported andunregulated (IUU) fishing signed last month.

The two leaders welcomed the progress in the demarcation of the exclusiveeconomic zones (EEZ) between the two countries after 11 rounds of negotiations,and consented to work harder for a solution suitable for both sides and in linewith international law.

They acknowledged new steps forwards in cooperation in agriculture,education-training, connectivity, and agreed the need to further expandcollaboration in potential areas such as training labourers to meet demands ofthe digital economy, strengthening tourism cooperation, and studying the openingof direct air services connecting major and tourist cities of the twocountries.

They shared their visions on and committed to increasing cooperation andcoordination at international forums, especially within the frameworks ofASEAN, APEC, and the United Nations.

They affirmed to closely cooperate and work together with other ASEAN memberstates to build an ASEAN Community of unity, self-reliance and inclusivedevelopment, promote the bloc’s central role in the region, and activelyparticipate in the process of shaping regional cooperation initiatives.

President Widodo committed to supporting Vietnam when it undertakes the ASEANChairmanship in 2020.

The two sides also affirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stabilityin the region, freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, whileclosely coordinating with each other as well as other relevant sides to ensurethe fully and effectively implementation of the Declaration of the Conduct ofParties in the East Sea and early conclusion of an effective, substantial andlegal binding Code of Conduct in the East Sea.

After the talks, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and President Widodo held ajoint international press conference, announcing their talks’ outcomes.-VNA