Receiving The Secretary General Of The Vietnam Communist Party In The DPR, Puan Talks About Sukarno-Ho Chi Minh's Closeness

Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, received a visit from the Secretary General of the Vietnam Communist Party (PKV), To Lam at the Nusantara/DOK Building of the DPR.

Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, received a visit from the Secretary General of the Vietnam Communist Party (PKV), To Lam at the Nusantara Building, Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday, March 11.

There are a number of things that Puan discussed with one of the big political figures in Vietnam, including how Indonesia-Vietnam relations can be established thanks to the closeness of the founding fathers of the two countries.

This bilateral meeting was held in a series of To Lam state visits in Indonesia. When he arrived at the Nusantara Building, To Lam immediately signed a certificate of attendance in the DPR.

To Lam came accompanied by a number of Vietnamese figures including members of the Politburo and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, Nguyen Van Nen. Then also members of the Central Committee as well as members of the Vietnamese government such as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thanng, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong, Deputy Chairman of the Vietnam National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hi, and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotential Vietnam for Indonesia, Ta Van Thong.

"On behalf of the DPR RI, I would like to welcome Your Excellency Mr. To Lam, the Secretary General of the Vietnam Communist Party, to the Parliament Building Complex in Jakarta," said Puan when welcoming To Lam at the DPR.

To Lam himself previously served as President of Vietnam but left the position after being elected as Secretary General of PKV in August 2024 to replace Nguyen Phu Trong who died. Now the President of Vietnam is held by Cuong Luong.

During the meeting, To Lam mentioned the longstanding good relations between Indonesia and Vietnam, since the era of Indonesia's first President Sukarno and the previous President of Vietnam who are also the founders of the Vietnam Communist Party, Ho Chi Minh.

"He said that this relationship had started with one very good capital, namely the good relationship between the two founding fathers, namely President Sukarno and President Ho Chi Minh, who were both founding fathers from the two countries," explained Puan during a press conference after the meeting.

The close relationship between the founders of the country in the past can be the capital for the development of bilateral relations in the future, continued Sukarno's grandson.

Therefore, Puan said that the DPR agreed to jointly strengthen and improve relations in both countries. He emphasized that the DPR is ready to cooperate with the Vietnamese government, and the National Assembly which is the Vietnam parliament.

"To both improve economic relations, trade, people to people contact or relations with the community, and of course relations between the two parliaments," said Puan.

Puan hopes that To Lam's presence can further improve Indonesia-Vietnam relations, including relations between political parties between the two countries.

"I also open the door that in the DPR there are 8 political parties that are of course ready to cooperate with parties in Vietnam," he said.

To note, the Vietnamese Communist Party is the founding political party and ruler of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. This party fully controls the Vietnamese government and controls the country's state and military centrally.

To Lam's state visit to Indonesia marks 70 years of bilateral relations between Indonesia and Vietnam where bilateral meetings between the two countries discussed strengthening cooperation in various strategic fields. To Lam was also received by President Prabowo Subianto at the Merdeka Palace, on Monday, March 10, yesterday.

"I hope that in the next 70 years the relations between the two countries will continue to grow rapidly, be able to synergize, and complement each other," said Puan.

Furthermore, the first woman to serve as Chair of the Indonesian House of Representatives touched on the similarities between Indonesia and Vietnam who wanted to become a developed country at the age of 100 years. Puan said Indonesia has a vision to realize Golden Indonesia in 2045, while Vietnam also has a goal of becoming a developed country in 2045, which is a moment of 100 years after independence.

"Therefore let's work to grow up together and achieve this noble goal," he said.

Puan also stated that she would provide support for the agreement between Indonesia Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) which was just approved yesterday. This agreement is one of three collaborations between Indonesia and Vietnam that was produced during President Prabowo's meeting with To Lam.

"It is hoped that this agreement will contain various concrete cooperations that are beneficial to the people of the two countries," said Puan.

"He (To Lam) said that there have been many things that have been done in both governments, and Vietnam is ready to cooperate with the Indonesian government under President Prabowo," he concluded.