Vietnam promotes cooperation with India and Indonesia

The Director of the National Assembly (NA) Committee for Foreign Affairs, Nguyen Van Son, has talked about the results of NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong’s visits to India and Indonesia.

NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong and his delegation returned to Hanoi on March 3, concluding their official visits to India and Indonesia at the invitations of Speaker of the Indian House of the People (the Lok Sabha) Meira Kumar and Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives Marzuki Alie.

Following is an interview granted by Mr Son to reporters accompanying NA Chairman Trong.

Q: This was Mr Trong’s first visits to India and Indonesia. Could you please elaborate on the outstanding results of the visits?

A: India and Indonesia are two big countries, which hold important positions in the world and have time-honoured relations with Vietnam.

The visits helped them get a better understanding of Vietnam’s status and role in the region and the world as well as its achievements over the past 20 years of pursuing the Doi Moi (Renewal) process. Through the visits, we also gained acclaim for the two countries’ drastic changes as well as their efforts to weather the negative impact of the global economic downturn and potential for cooperation with Vietnam.

These visits added fresh impetus to promoting cooperation with the two major Asian countries. India said it is keen to enhance its partnership with Vietnam, particularly in oil, information and technology, education and training and tourism. Meanwhile, Indonesia is ready to cooperate with Vietnam in all fields with priority given to mining, agriculture production, services, tourism and fisheries.

The two countries want to lift relations with Vietnam to a higher plane in the current period. Despite contentiousness among political parties, they have reached a high consensus on boosting cooperation with Vietnam.

These visits have contributed to further strengthening bilateral relations with India and Indonesia and drumming up their support in multilateral relations.

India emphasised that Vietnam is at the centre of its ”Look East” policy while Indonesia supports Vietnam in attending G20 Summit as the ASEAN Chair.

The host countries voiced their support for Vietnam to successfully organise the Year of Vietnam’s Chairmanship of ASEAN and AIPA.

They pledged to support the country at regional and international forums and promote comprehensive cooperation with the Vietnamese NA to increase the operational efficiency of each country’s legislative bodies. They also expressed their profound and special sentiments towards the Vietnamese people and President Ho Chi Minh.

Q: What co-operative opportunities did the visits bring?

A: The organisation of business forums in India and Indonesia and “Vietnam Days in India” receives a warm response from international friends, helping to boost bilateral co-operation in politics, economics and culture. In terms of economics and trade, leaders of the two countries said that co-operative ties have not yet matched their potential. Two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and the two countries has reached US$2 billion each, of which Vietnam’s imports accounted for one-third.

These forums created motivation for businesses from the three countries seek co-operative opportunities.

The Indonesian President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives promised to bring large groups of businesses when they visit Vietnam in 2010 to promote investment co-operation. Businesses from India and Indonesia consider Vietnam as a safe and trustworthy destination for their investment.

Q: Could you tell us about co-operative prospects between Vietnam’s National Assembly with India and Indonesia’s parliaments?

A: The two countries were looking forward to receiving the NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong and warmly responded Vietnam’s initiatives. The two countries’ parliaments committed to support Vietnam’s NA in the needed fields, such as organizing the 31^st ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) and affirmed they would strengthen the exchange of information and experiences, especially in legislation as well as closely work with Vietnam in international forums.

The two sides also agreed to closely work with Vietnam to implement signed agreements, helping to develop bilateral ties into a new height.

Q: How did the visits help to tighten relations between Vietnam and ASEAN as well as other partners and help Vietnam to fulfil its AIPA and ASEAN chairmanships?

A: The visits helped to strengthen both bilateral and multilateral co-operative ties between Vietnam and ASEAN. India is implementing a “Look East” policy. It attaches great importance to strengthening ties with ASEAN and considers Vietnam central to the policy. Indonesia is one of the founders of ASEAN and AIPA and hosts their headquarters.

The two countries reaffirmed their support for Vietnam undertaking the ASEAN and AIPA presidencies and their cooperation with Vietnam in making ASEAN become more prosperous and closer to other countries in the region as well as improving ASEAN’s status in the international arena.

With the active support of friends and through Vietnam’s efforts, Vietnam will successfully fulfill the ASEAN and AIPA presidencies, leaving its footprint in the international arena during the year to mark the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

Tags: Vietnam cooperation, Vietnam India cooperation, Vietnam Indonesia cooperation