Ready to enhance ties with Vietnam: House Speaker Maharani

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Puan Maharani highlighted DPR's readiness to deepen ties with Vietnam to boost trade as well as people-to-people and parliamentary relations.

Maharani made this statement after receiving Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) To Lam at the Parliamentary Complex, Jakarta, on Tuesday.

The DPR speaker underscored the need for cooperation between ASEAN countries to face the dynamics of global conditions.

"ASEAN countries need to be more solid in building their respective nations and safeguarding the Southeast Asia region," she stated at a press conference after the meeting.

Maharani said that during the meeting, To Lam highlighted the long-standing relations between Indonesia and Vietnam, spanning 70 years. In fact, both nations will soon celebrate their 80th anniversaries of independence.

Maharani said To Lam highlighted the sound ties between Indonesia and Vietnam, established by the founding fathers of the respective countries: First President of Indonesia Soekarno and First President of Vietnam Ho Chi Minh.

"To this end, I open the door that within the DPR, there are eight political parties that are ready to cooperate with parties in Vietnam," Maharani remarked.

The DPR speaker said Vietnam also expressed its readiness to cooperate with the Government of Indonesia under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto. Additionally, the two countries have already achieved significant milestones in their bilateral cooperation.

Earlier, President Prabowo Subianto advocated for elevating the partnership between Indonesia and Vietnam to a comprehensive strategic level during a meeting with Secretary General To Lam at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Monday.

During his address to the Vietnamese delegation, he emphasized that the two countries share historical and cultural parallels, particularly in their struggles for independence and sovereignty against colonialism and imperialism.