Hanoi’s children welcome Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his wife at the Presidential Palace on September 11, 2018. (Photo: Nhan Sang/VNA)

 Indonesian officials called the visit “crucial” to the Indonesian-Vietnamese strategic partnership, creating political momentum for cooperation in economics, trade, investment, maritime cooperation, fisheries, and negotiations on the demarcation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) between the two countries.

Antara News and Jakarta Post reported that in his meeting with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang in Hanoi, President Widodo suggested that the Vietnamese Government remove trade barriers for Indonesia.

He was also reported to have called on Indonesian investors to expand their business in Vietnam. Other newspapers reported on agreements and memorandums of understanding signed between Vietnam and Indonesia during President Widodo’s visit on tourism cooperation, fisheries, and health care.

The two sides signed a Plan of Action for the Implementation of Strategic Partnership between the two countries until 2023, and a number of other important agreements. The Indonesian media quoted President Widodo praising the fruitful cooperation between Vietnam and Indonesia and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s decision to attend the ASEAN Leaders' Gathering (ALG) in Bali, Indonesia, in October. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters that Indonesia is promoting balanced trade relations with Vietnam. She praised the signing of an MoU on fishery cooperation, and illegal fishing prevention and the determination of both sides’ leaders to accelerate negotiations on the demarcation of the EEZ.