PMs agree to expand Vietnam - Belarus ties to potential areas

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Belarusian counterpart Roman Golovchenko held talks in Hanoi on December 8, agreeing to expand their countries’ cooperation to potential areas.

PMs agree to expand Vietnam - Belarus ties to potential areas -0
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Belarusian counterpart Roman Golovchenko. Photo: VNA

Welcoming his guest, PM Chinh said the official visit from December 6 to 9, the first trip to Vietnam by a Belarusian Government leader in 12 years, will create a new impetus for bilateral relations in all spheres.

He affirmed that the Government and people of Vietnam attach major importance to the two countries’ traditional friendship, which has been nurtured by many generations, especially the visits to the Eastern European country by President Ho Chi Minh in the past.

Highly valuing Vietnam’s socioeconomic achievements, PM Golovchenko said his country treasures the traditional friendship and views Vietnam as a priority partner in Southeast Asia.

The two leaders shared the view on the importance of maintaining meetings at all levels, via all channels, and between their countries’ ministries, sectors, and localities, and on the need to bring into play existing cooperation mechanisms. They agreed to continue close coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums, especially the United Nations.

Vietnam is ready to serve as a bridge helping Belarus enhance cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the host said, calling on Belarus to support Vietnam and ASEAN’s stance on the East Sea issue.

Both sides spoke highly of the progress in economic, trade, and investment partnerships, including the implementation of the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), of which Belarus is a member. They held that the two countries should further tap into their cooperation potential.

PM Chinh lauded the outcomes of the Vietnam - Belarus business forum held in Ho Chi Minh City on December 7 that gathered over 100 companies from both countries.

He expressed his delight that the 15 million-USD MAZ automobile manufacturing and assembly plant project of Belarus in northern Hung Yen province is operating fruitfully. He also applauded the consideration of production joint ventures in both Vietnam and Belarus in the sectors matching their potential and demand.

The two countries will make efforts to promote bilateral trade and create conditions for their goods, including agricultural and aquatic products, dairy products, fertiliser, and machinery, to access each other’s markets, the leaders said.

They also agreed to expand cooperation to such potential areas as information technology, digital transformation, education - training, scientific research, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchange. They highly valued the signing of a cooperation deal between Hanoi and Minsk during the visit, along with the signing of an inter-governmental agreement on educational cooperation last June, which will help increase the exchange of students, lecturers, and experts in the fields the countries have demand for.

Both PMs also voiced their hope that the agreement on bilateral visa exemption for ordinary passport holders, signed during the visit, and the cultural cooperation programme for 2023 - 2025, inked in May this year, will help tighten connections in terms of tourism, culture, and people-to-people exchange.

PM Chinh took this occasion to thank leaders and the Government of Belarus for paying attention to the Vietnamese community in the country, asking the Belarusian Government to continue providing favourable conditions for Vietnamese people to live, work, and study there.

Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of some bilateral cooperation documents, namely an agreement on the transfer of sentenced persons, an agreement on visa exemption for ordinary passport holders, a memorandum of understanding on cooperation and information sharing in the field of nuclear safety and radiation protection, and a cooperation deal on the official dissemination of Vietnam’s national standards in Belarus./.

Politics-Diplomacy

PM to hold dialogue with farmers nationwide
Politics-Diplomacy

PM to hold dialogue with farmers nationwide

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has just agreed with a proposal of the Vietnam Farmers’ Union Central Committee regarding the organisation of his dialogue with farmers in 2024, according to a dispatch by the Government Office. The Prime Minister also tasked the Minist

Economic diplomacy contributes to socio-economic development: PM
Politics-Diplomacy

Economic diplomacy contributes to socio-economic development: PM

Economic diplomacy has truly become a key component in all external affairs, especially high-level diplomacy, contributing effectively to implemeting strategic breakthroughs, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said while chairing a conference with ambassadors and heads of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad to review the economic diplomacy work in 2024, in Hanoi on December 20.

PM urges Da Nang to lead Vietnam's economic transformation
Politics-Diplomacy

PM urges Da Nang to lead Vietnam's economic transformation

The central city of Da Nang must fully harness its distinctive potential, outstanding opportunities, and competitive advantages to achieve double-digit economic growth, solidifying its role as a growth hub of the central – Central Highlands region and the nation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on December 21.

Party chief holds phone talks with Singapore's ruling party leader
Politics-Diplomacy

Party chief holds phone talks with Singapore's ruling party leader

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) To Lam held a phone talks with Secretary-General of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) and Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong on December 20 afternoon, during which the Vietnamese Party chief suggested the two countries further strengthen political trust through meetings and exchanges of all-level delegations.

Leaders pay tribute to President Ho Chi Minh on army's 80th anniversary
Politics-Diplomacy

Leaders pay tribute to President Ho Chi Minh on army's 80th anniversary

A delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, the State President, the National Assembly, the Government, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, the Central Military Commission, and Ministry of National Defence on December 20 paid floral tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum in Hanoi on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army and the 35th anniversary of the All-People Defence Festival (December 22).

Party chief receives Chinese Minister of Defence
Politics-Diplomacy

Party chief receives Chinese Minister of Defence

Party General Secretary To Lam, Secretary of the Central Military Commission, hosted a reception in Hanoi on December 19 for Chinese Minister of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Dong Jun and a delegation from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) who  are in Vietnam for the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Vietnam People's Army and the 35th anniversary of the All People's Defence Festival (December 22).