REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TOKYO -- Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla received a courtesy call from Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh on the sidelines of the International Conference on the Future of Asia at the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, on Tuesday. During the meeting, Kalla and Binh discussed several issues concerning the bilateral cooperation.

They also talked about Vietnamese fishermen who have legal case in Indonesia and a plan to determine regional minimum wage in Southeast Asia. "The meeting with Binh discussed better bilateral relations and investments. They asked us to give legal attention and settlement to Vietnamese fishermen who are still detained in Indonesia," Kalla noted here on Tuesday.

During a half-hour closed-door meeting, the two leaders also discussed minimum wage policy for Indonesian and Vietnamese workers in relation to industrial investment in each country.

The difference in minimum wage standards in both countries, in which Vietnam is lower than Indonesia, causes foreign industrial investment to Vietnam to be more desirable than that to Indonesia.

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"There is also a discussion on minimum salary for Indonesian and Vietnamese workers, as well as other countries, to avoid continuous pressures by industries. We want to work together, and we have discussed on how to set minimum wages for ASEAN region," Kalla remarked.

According to him, the difference in minimum wage of workers in Asean countries causes inequality and industrial competition from foreign investment among Asean countries.

Therefore, the Indonesian government supports the minimum wage agreement for workers in Asean countries.

"That issue has been explored, and the Ministry of Manpower has also tried to talk about it. I ask them to discuss with the Minister of Labor of Vietnam and also other countries," Kalla revealed.

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The International Conference on the Future of Asia is held annually by Nikkei media, Japan, by presenting leaders of Asian countries to discuss current conditions in regional countries.

The conference was also attended by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad, Korean Deputy Prime Minister Kim Dong-Yeon and Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean.

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