The cooperation intends to achieve a target of US$10 billion by 2018.
Sochi, Russia (ANTARA News) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc have agreed to intensify trade cooperation between the two countries.

This decision was taken during a bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Russia summit on Thursday.

The Presidential Communications Team Member, Ari Dwipayana said the cooperation intends to achieve a target of US$10 billion by 2018.

"In 2015, our (bilateral) trade reached US$5.59 billion, and has increased 6.47 percent in the last three years," the president said.

This was an initial meeting since Nguyen Xuan Phuc was sworn in as Prime Minister of Vietnam only in April this year.

The president remarked that Vietnam is an important partner for Indonesia in Southeast Asia, particularly for rice commodities.

Economic relations between the two countries have improved after the signing of a strategic partnership between Indonesia and Vietnam in June 2013.

In 2013, the two countries exceeded their trade target of US$5 billion.

In addition to trade, the two heads of government also welcomed the results of the technical meeting of the 8th delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone held in March.

Both countries continue to encourage the negotiations over the maritime boundary between Indonesia and Vietnam.

The president invited the Prime Minister of Vietnam to visit Indonesia. (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016