REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BEIJING -- Indonesia's President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo held a bilateral meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit here on Monday. At the meeting, the two heads of states expressed their preparedness to continue and improve cooperative relations between the two countries.

"We are ready to conduct bilateral cooperation that would benefit the people of both nations," President Jokowi, who hosted the meeting, said.

On the occasion, he also expressed his appreciation to Vietnam for sending a representative to his inauguration on October 20.  Moreover, Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang stated that Vietnam had always considered Indonesia a friend and is committed to continuing to boost ties between the two countries. He also invited President Joko Widodo and First Lady Iriana to visit Vietnam.

Like Indonesia, Vietnam is also a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Other members of the organization include Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar.

Since his inauguration on October 20, President Joko Widodo has received Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore, and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. Following the APEC summit, President Jokowi is scheduled to fly to Myanmar to attend an ASEAN summit and then to Australia to participate in the G-20 summit.

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