Hanoi and Jakarta are committed to strengthening ties in various fields, especially in investment, trade, tourism, urban development and environmental protection.

Delegations at the meeting.

This sentiment was shared during a meeting on August 7 between the Chairman of the Hanoi People's Council, Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, and his Jakarta counterpart, Prasetio Edi Masudi, in the first-ever meeting between the heads of the people's representative bodies of the two cities.

Chairman Tuan is currently joining a high-ranking delegation from Vietnam’s National Assembly to Indonesia to attend the General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA).

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Tuan expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome accorded to his delegation by the Jakarta City Council and its President, Prasetyo Edi Marsudi.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the developing relations between Hanoi and Jakarta in recent years, during which the governments of Hanoi and Jakarta signed three memoranda of understanding on friendly and cooperative relations in 2003, 2004 and 2017.

Overview of the meeting.

These agreements were geared towards fostering collaboration across domains like urban planning management, personnel training, tourism, culture, physical education, sports, and transportation. Notably, in October 2017, the Indonesian Embassy in Vietnam inaugurated the Umah Indo Center in Hanoi, strategically dedicated to promoting Indonesian tourism, trade, and culture in Vietnam.

Before the pandemic, Indonesia was among the five ASEAN countries that contributed significantly to Hanoi's tourism, sending a total of 43,041 visitors in 2019. With the reopening of international tourism on March 15, 2022, the numbers began to rise and are expected to reach 4,035 by the end of the year.

Chairman of the Hanoi People's Council Nguyen Ngoc Tuan during a visit to Jakarta's subway system.

With the intention of strengthening bilateral cooperation between Hanoi and Jakarta, the two sides have agreed on several ways to work together in the near future. These include reviewing the content of cooperation agreements between the two city governments; increasing the exchange of activities and high-level delegations; strengthening support for businesses engaged in investment, trade, and tourism; sharing insights on management, urban development, and environmental protection; fostering cultural interactions; and exchanging experiences in building mechanisms and policies that drive the growth of modern, sustainable capitals.

Prasetyo Edi Marsudi, Chairman of Jakarta City Council, expressed his satisfaction in welcoming the delegation from Hanoi. He expressed his desire to strengthen the cooperation, exchange and sharing of experiences between the capital cities of the two nations. He also reiterated his commitment to creating the most favorable environment for fruitful cooperation between the two capitals.

On this occasion, Tuan extended an invitation to Prasetyo Edi Marsudi and the Jakarta Capital Council delegation to visit Hanoi in the near future. He expressed his hope for the further development of cooperation between Hanoi and Jakarta, looking forward to many new achievements in the future.

Furthermore, as part of the itinerary, the Hanoi delegation visited Jakarta's subway system, which was launched in 2019 and is expected to significantly contribute to alleviating traffic congestion in the city.