Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc paid a visit to Venezuela, Colombia and Dominican Republic from May 4-12 to boost economic, trade and investment relations with the three countries.

In Venezuela, the Deputy FM met with Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Petroleum and Mining Rafael Ramirez, and Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Foreign Minister Elias Jaua, and leaders of the Latin American Parliamentarian Group.

He also co-chaired a Vietnam-Venezuela political consultation with his counterpart Xoan Pablo Noya.

At these meetings, the hosts affirmed that Venezuela attaches much importance to strengthening the comprehensive partnership with Vietnam and creates conditions for cooperation projects to operate successfully.

The two sides discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern and agreed to maintain cooperation and mutual support at regional and international forums, such as the United Nations, UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), and the South-South Cooperation.

In Dominican Republic and Colombia, Ngoc met Dominican United Left-wing Movement (MIU) Party General Secretary and Minister for Regional Integration Affairs Miguel Mejia.

He conducted political consultations with foreign ministries, and met with leaders of economic, trade, agriculture, investment and tourism ministries of the two countries.

During the meetings, Ngoc asserted that Vietnamese leaders want to foster cooperative ties with Latin America, including Dominican Republic and Colombia.
The two sides emphasised that they should further economic, trade and investment ties and develop cooperation projects meeting their potential and needs.

They discussed issues of mutual concern, such as developing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Leaders from the three Latin American countries expressed their concern over tensions in the East Sea and emphasised the need to solve disputes through dialogue in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) , without using force or threatening to use force.-VNA