State President’s trip to Switzerland, Russia a great success, says diplomat
State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s recent trip to Switzerland and Russia was successful in many ways, said Deputy Foreign Minister To Anh Dung in an interview granted to the press on December 3.
According to the diplomat, the President’s visit to Switzerland from November 25-28 was of great significance as it marked 50 years of bilateral diplomacy and 30 years of bilateral development cooperation.
Politically, he said the two sides reached high consensus on measures to strengthen bilateral and multilateral relations commensurate with the two countries’ potential, strengths and needs. They shared their visions on regional and global strategic issues, stressing the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and maritime safety in the East Sea in accordance with international law.
President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Swiss President Guy Parmelin personally attended and delivered speeches at the Vietnam - Switzerland Business Forum with the participation of more than 100 businesses, including many leading enterprises of the two countries. They witnessed the signing of a number of important cooperation documents on COVID-19 treatment, vaccine production, banking and finance, technology application in urban development and aviation.
Notably, the visit gave the two countries the chance to work together toward early signing a free trade agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), in which Switzerland plays a leading role.
The two sides agreed to effectively carry out cooperation activities in the fields of science, technology, and innovation by upgrading a Letter of Intent to an Agreement between the two Governments on science and technology cooperation towards the establishment of an Innovation Partnership.
In particular, President Phuc met with senior leaders of the United Nations, World Trade Organisation, World Health Organisation, World Intellectual Property Organisation and the world’s football governing body FIFA that all pledged to support Vietnam’s development and integration.
While in Russia from November 29 to December 2, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc held talks with President Vladimir Putin and met with many other senior leaders such as Prime Minister Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin, Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, Federation Council Chairwoman Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko, and many other senior Russian officials.
Presidents Phuc and Putin spent nearly four hours discussing 20 important issues aimed at further promoting cooperation between the two countries in the coming time.
They agreed to expand economic, trade and investment cooperation and effectively implement the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union of which Russia is a member.
Both sides issued a joint statement on the Vision of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Russia until 2030 that charts a development and cooperation course for the two countries in the coming years.
According to Deputy Foreign Minister To Anh Dung, Russia always holds an important position in Vietnam’s foreign policy, while Vietnam is a priority partner in Russia’s policy towards the Asia-Pacific region.
The two countries have a traditional and close friendship that has spanned more than seven decades and has painstakingly been cultivated by generations of their leaders and people.
Dung said the good results of the Russia visit show both countries will maintain dialogue and political trust, and closely coordinate to resolve problems thay may arise during the implementation of cooperation programmes in the interests and wishes of both sides.
They expect to create a breakthrough in economic - trade cooperation by taking advantage of opportunities brought about by the Free Trade Agreement signed between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union.
Besides cooperation in traditional fields like national defence-security, oil and gas, energy, and education, the two countries till expand cooperation in new fields such as high technology, infrastructure development, automobile assembly, agriculture-forestry-fishery, as well as cooperation between their localities.
Dung expressed his belief that the two sides will work closely together to fully tap into their potential and strengths to realize the Vision of the Vietnam – Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to 2030.
