Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto warmly welcomed General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (PKV) Tô Lâm and his Vietnamese delegation at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Monday (10/3) afternoon.

Tô Lâm and his entourage were escorted by seven motorbikes to the Merdeka Palace from Mandirin Oriental Hotel.

Tô Lâm and the Vietnamese delegation arrived at 4:30 pm and were greeted by 240 Indonesian students who lined up neatly and waved their hands holding the flags of Indonesia and Vietnam.

Not only that, it appeared that a number of 661 Paspampres troops dressed in traditional clothes and personnel of the three military services (Army, Air Force, Navy) also welcomed To Lam and the delegation.

Prabowo even welcomed Tô Lâm when he got off his vehicle and the two shook hands warmly.

The two then walked together and the welcoming ceremony was opened by echoing the national anthems of Vietnam and Indonesia.

Next, the two conducted a troop inspection and greeted the ceremony troops and Indonesian students who were on site.

The bilateral meeting between Indonesia and Vietnam coincided with 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

‘Indonesia and Vietnam have established a partnership since 1955 built on a strong foundation established by your President Ho Vho Minh and President Sukarno of Indonesia,’ Prabowo said.

Prabowo considers this meeting to be an excellent momentum to further commit to strengthening co-operative relations that will benefit both countries.

‘This year is a very good momentum to elevate our relationship to a higher level, to the level of a comprehensive strategic partner,’ Prabowo said.

Also attending the ceremony were Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan, Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono, Minister of Defence Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Brian Yuliarto, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, Minister of Investment and Downstream Rosan Roeslani, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, and Indonesian Ambassador to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Denny Abdi. (RR)