Party Chief To Lam to visit Indonesia, Singapore

The Hanoi Times — General Secretary To Lam and his spouse will pay a state visit to Indonesia and official visits to the ASEAN Secretariat and Singapore.

General Secretary To Lam's visits will take place from March 9 to 13 at the invitation of Indonesian President and Chairman of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) Prabowo Subianto, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, and Singaporean Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party (PAP) Lawrence Wong, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Indonesia is currently Vietnam's second-largest trading partner within ASEAN, with bilateral trade reaching US$16.7 billion in 2024, an increase of 21.6% from 2023. The two countries aim to reach a trade volume of US$18 billion by 2028.

Indonesia was one of the first countries in the region to establish security and defense relations with Vietnam, setting up a defense attaché office in 1964. The two countries frequently exchange defense and security delegations and have signed several bilateral defense cooperation agreements and actively participated in ASEAN-related security activities.

In December 2022, the two sides signed an agreement on the delimitation of their Exclusive Economic Zones after 12 years of negotiations, marking a historic milestone in their relations. This agreement paves the way for enhanced maritime cooperation, sends a strong message about the value of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and contributes to ASEAN unity on the East Sea (South China Sea).

In 2023, Vietnam welcomed 105,000 Indonesian tourists, almost three times the number in 2022. In 2024, the number is estimated to reach 184,000, an increase of 1.74 times from 2023.

Vietnam-Singapore Strategic Partnership is also flourishing. Recently, General Secretary To Lam held a telephone conversation with Singaporean Prime Minister and PAP Secretary-General Lawrence Wong.

Singapore is Vietnam's fourth largest trading partner within ASEAN and 14th largest globally. In 2024, total bilateral trade reached $10.3 billion, up 14.7% from 2023. This represents strong growth compared to other regional partners.

In terms of investment, Singapore is the largest ASEAN investor in Vietnam and ranks second among 147 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, with 3,915 valid projects and a total registered capital of over $83 billion.

In 2024, Vietnam received 347,495 Singaporean visitors, a 6% increase from the previous year. Cooperation in other sectors, including finance and banking, natural resources and environment, and legal and judicial affairs, continues to strengthen.

Vietnam joined ASEAN on July 28, 1995, and has actively participated in all areas of cooperation under the principle of "proactive, positive and responsible" engagement. The country has made significant contributions to the development and growth of ASEAN.

Vietnam’s participation in ASEAN has brought substantial and tangible benefits, including fostering a peaceful and stable environment conducive to economic and social development, safeguarding national sovereignty and security, promoting international integration, and enhancing the country's global standing.

Vietnam currently ranks 65th among 129 countries and territories in attracting global foreign direct investment (FDI) and fourth within ASEAN. The value of Vietnam's trade with ASEAN has increased 18-fold from 1995 to 2024. ASEAN has become Vietnam's fourth-largest export market and third-largest source of imports.

ASEAN key in Vietnam’s foreign policy

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong stressed the importance of Party Chief To Lam's visit to Indonesia and Singapore, describing it as a historic trip.

The visit marks the first trip by a General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam to Indonesia in eight years, since August 2017, and to Singapore in nearly 13 years, since September 2012. It also marks the first-ever visit by a Vietnamese Party leader to the ASEAN Secretariat. The trip coincides with Vietnam’s 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Indonesia and the 30th anniversary of its accession to ASEAN, highlighting a key milestone in the country's regional and global integration.

According to Cuong, the visit reflects Vietnam's consistent implementation of an independent, self-reliant, peaceful, cooperative and development-oriented foreign policy with a commitment to diversify and strengthen international relations. It underscores the importance the Vietnamese Party and State attach to fostering relations with neighboring countries in the region, including two key partners, Indonesia and Singapore.

"The visit also reaffirms the strategic importance of ASEAN in our foreign policy, and further demonstrates Vietnam's proactive, responsible and innovative spirit through practical contributions, working together to realize ASEAN's future aspirations," he said.

The Deputy Minister expressed confidence that the upcoming visit would lay the foundation for new areas of cooperation between Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, and ASEAN.

He said that the visit aims to strengthen political trust, deepen existing cooperation, and create momentum for new partnerships in science and technology, the digital economy, the green economy, and innovation. "The goal is to establish a model of international relations based on respect for international law, independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the political systems of each country. This will bring tangible benefits to the people and contribute to Vietnam's development in an era of national advancement," he said.