40-year Vietnam-Turkey diplomatic ties: cooperation for development

Vietnam and Turkey will cooperate further for mutual development, thanks to their existing potential and the resolve of their leaders and people.
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Turkey will cooperate further for mutual development,thanks to their existing potential and the resolve of their leaders and people.

The affirmation was made by Deputy ForeignMinister Vu Hong Nam in an article published in Vietnam News Agency’s Tin Tucnewspaper on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of bilateraldiplomatic relations (June 7, 1978-2018).

Nam recalled a speech by Turkish PrimeMinister Binali Yildirim during his visit to Vietnam on August 23, 2017, inwhich the Turkish leader had expressed his admiration for Vietnamese history inits nation building and safeguarding cause and affirmed Turkey considers Vietnama nation with robust growth and an increasingly important position in theregion, and one of Turkey’s reliable partners in Asia and ASEAN. The twocountries have cooperation opportunities as they hold a lot of similarities.

The Prime Minister’s speech demonstrated hisrespect for Vietnam and highlighted the close connectivity of the two countriesover the past four decades, since they set up their diplomatic ties on June 7,1978, Nam wrote.

According to the official, despitegeographical distance, Vietnam and Turkey share similarities in their historyand cultural diversity. Located in both Asia and Europe, Turkey is a member ofthe Group of Twenty (G20) which comprises the 20 most developed nations and hasbig influence on relations between nations in the Middle East and Asia.Meanwhile, with its foreign policy of international integration, Vietnam isbecoming an important link in a large economic network with 59 partners,including 15 G20 member states.

The two countries hold many advantages to cooperateand support each other. Two-way trade has increased over the years, exceeding 2billion USD in 2017, of which 1.9 billion USD came from Vietnam’s exports.Turkey runs 16 investment projects in Vietnam with total registered capital of morethan 1 billion USD.

Nam noted that an important foundation forcloser cooperation between Vietnam and Turkey is their political trust. Bothsides maintain the exchange of delegations, with PM Yildirim’s Vietnam visitmarking a turning point in bilateral relations as this was the first time aTurkish Prime Minister had visited Vietnam.

Visits by senior officials and bilateralcooperation mechanisms such as meetings of the Joint Committee and politicalconsultations have helped intensify the two countries’ ties.

In addition, the two countries havesupported each other at regional and international forums. Turkey was one ofthe first countries to back Vietnam’s candidacy to a non-permanent member seatof the United Nations Security Council for 2020-2021. They both pay muchattention to and coordinate in fighting corruption and Islamic extremism, thearticle said.

In July 2016, Turkey’s national flag carrierTurkish Airlines opened a direct flight connecting Istanbul and Vietnam’s Hanoiand Ho Chi Minh City, with one flight a day each. The air routes not only actas a new transit route from Vietnam to other countries around the world,especially in the Middle East and Africa, but also intensify people-to-peopleexchanges.

The Deputy Foreign Minister said that severaldiplomatic, economic, cultural and tourism activities will be held this year tocelebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties. They are expectedto help boost bilateral relations.

This is also a chance for Vietnam to promoteits culture and tourism to Turkey, Nam noted, adding that achievements gainedby the two countries over the past 40 years are a foundation for them to lifttheir ties to a new height.-VNA
VNA

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