Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Nguyen Xuan Thuy made the statement at an interview with a magazine of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry on October 27. 

The traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries have developed intensively and extensively, Thuy affirmed. 

Political ties have been strengthened through the regular exchange of delegations and high-level meetings, the ambassador said. 

Thuy commented on the visit to Vietnam by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in October, 2010, and the visit to Indonesia by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in September this year, which he said mark milestones in the relations between the two countries, with the signing of a number of important documents, creating a foundation for developing bilateral cooperation into strategic partnership. 

Indonesia is one of Vietnam’s important trade partners, with two-way trade expected to reach US$5 billion in 2014, Thuy said. 

The two countries’ leaders have committed themselves to creating favourable conditions for businesses, the diplomat said, adding that bilateral cooperation in agriculture, education and training, seafood and aquatic products, culture and tourism are paying off.