Vietnam, Indonesia pledge to bolster maritime, naval cooperation

The event was hosted by the ship’s command one day after the vessel’s arrival at Saigon-Hiep Phuoc Port for a four-day goodwill visit to the city under the ASEAN Plus Cadet Sail 2026 program.

The vessel carries 345 officers, sailors, and cadets under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Sugeng Hariyanto.

Attending the banquet were Colonel Trieu Thanh Tung, deputy commander of Vietnam’s Naval Region 2; Nguyen Minh Que, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Foreign Affairs; Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Adam Tugio; Indonesian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Carolina Tinangon; along with foreign consuls general and defense attachés from several embassies.

Que said Vietnam and Indonesia are key maritime nations in the Southeast Asian region, sharing strategic interests in maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Vietnam Sea in accordance with international law.

He noted that maritime security and defense cooperation among ASEAN countries has become increasingly important amid continued regional and global volatility.

Rear Admiral Harith Bima Bayuseto, commander of the Indonesian Navy’s First Fleet Command, said the sea is not only a geographical space but also a strategic link connecting nations, cultures, and mutual trust through cooperation and respect.

He said the Vietnam People’s Navy plays an important role in maintaining regional maritime security and stability, expressing confidence that naval cooperation between the two countries will continue to expand through exchanges, joint training activities, and port visits.

Ambassador Tugio said that although Vietnam and Indonesia are separated by vast waters, the two countries remain closely connected through long-standing friendship and mutual understanding.

Speaking to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Consul General Tinangon said maritime cooperation is of special importance to Southeast Asia, a region surrounded by seas and home to archipelagic countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia.

She asserted that maritime cooperation is essential as ASEAN moves toward stronger coordination in managing shared sea areas.

“If ASEAN can finalize maritime cooperation frameworks, it means we fully recognize that we share vast maritime areas that must be safeguarded together,” she added.

Tinangon said maritime cooperation should extend beyond security to include economic development.

As the blue economy gains importance, she noted that stronger maritime cooperation could help ASEAN countries expand economic opportunities and improve livelihoods.

She added that exchange programs such as ASEAN Plus Cadet Sail 2026 provide valuable opportunities for cadets and young officers to build friendships and professional networks early in their careers.

Under the ASEAN Plus Cadet Sail 2026 program, 157 cadets from the Indonesian Naval Academy and 57 cadets from naval academies in 25 countries, including ASEAN member states and partner nations, are taking part in a voyage covering 12 destinations across seven countries, including Vietnam.