Hanoi (VNA) – Party General Secretary and State President To Lam received the ambassadors of Argentina, Algeria, Germany, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) who came to present their credentials on August 12.
Hosting Argentinian Ambassador Marcos Antonio Bednarski, Lam affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to and wishes to further intensify the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Argentina, a partner of leading importance in Latin America.
He voiced his delight at the sustained development of bilateral relations and asked the ambassador to coordinate closely with the Vietnamese side to further promote the two countries’ friendship and all-round connections, maintain frequent high-level mutual visits and cooperation mechanisms, and perfect the legal framework for cooperation.
On the basis of the sound relations, Argentina should keep working with Vietnam to promote the launch of negotiations on a free trade agreement between the Southeast Asian nation and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), thereby creating momentum for broader economic and trade ties between the two countries, as well as between Vietnam and the South American region, he suggested.
The leader also said he believes that the ambassador will actively contribute to the countries’ friendship and cooperation, adding he will order Vietnamese ministries and sectors to coordinate with and assist the diplomat in his term in Vietnam.
Ambassador Bednarski expressed his honour to assume the duty in Vietnam amid the flourishing bilateral ties, affirming that his country’s Government attaches great importance to relations with countries in the Asia-Pacific, of which Vietnam is one of the leading partners.
Pledging all-out efforts to step up bilateral partnerships in all spheres, he stressed that Vietnam is an important trading partner of Argentina in Asia, and there remains much room for the two sides to elevate collaboration in the fields they are strong at.
At the reception for Algerian Ambassador Sofiane Chaib, the Party and State leader noted Vietnam highly values the role and standing of Algeria in Africa and the world, and that it treasures the time-tested friendship and cooperation with Algeria.
He noted with satisfaction that bilateral ties have been advancing in multiple areas and called on the ambassador to actively coordinate with Vietnamese agencies to continue bolstering the relations, including by increasing high-level delegation excahnges and supporting each other at multilateral and international forums.
The host also asked for fostering trade links with both sides’ interests balanced, maximising the current cooperation mechanisms, and promoting negotiations to sign cooperation deals in other fields like construction, security - crime combat, and education.
Ambassador Chaib said bilateral trade has increased three-fold over the last 10 years, but potential remains substantial, and that in his term, he will do its utmost to contribute to bilateral cooperation in various areas.
Algeria could serve as a gateway for Vietnam to expand cooperation to other African markets, he went on, saying he hopes the two countries will share many values and principles and properly work together at multilateral forums, especially the United Nations.
Talking to German Ambassador Helga Margarete Barth, Lam affirmed that the State and Government of Vietnam always lay a stress on the reinforcement of the strategic partnership with Germany, which is a key member of the European Union and also has an important voice in the international arena.
He thanked and called on the German Government to continue raising a strong voice to support the peaceful settlement of disputes in the East Sea on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to maintain peace, stability, freedom, security, and safety of navigation and overflight in the region, along with respect for international law.
The Vietnamese leader said to tap into both sides’ potential, further deepen all-faceted cooperation, and elevate their strategic partnership, both countries should continue exchanging delegations at all levels, fruitfully carrying out dialogue mechanisms, and optimising the EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
He asked Germany to soon ratify the EU - Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), keep working closely with Vietnam in the implementation of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), and share experience, transfer technology, and help Vietnam train human resources for climate change response and green economy development. He also welcomed the German investments in manufacturing, transport, renewable energy, circular economy, and strategic infrastructure in Vietnam.
Lam also asked the two sides to increase exchanging university students, boost the use of the German and Vietnamese languages in each other’s countries, promote the mechanisms and frameworks for long-term cooperation in vocational training to help Vietnam develop high-quality human resources, and create conditions for Vietnamese to work in Germany.
Ambassador Barth voiced her delight at the progress in political, diplomatic, trade, investment, and cultural partnerships.
Highly valuing the countries’ educational cooperation, she announced that Germany will establish an international high school in Vietnam and this will be a symbol of their cooperation.
Barth added during her term in Vietnam, she will focus on strengthening bilateral connections in economy and culture, and hopes to receive support from local authorities.
Receiving Ambassador of the DPRK Ri Sung Guk, General Secretary and President Lam underlined Vietnam’s consistent stance of treasuring the traditional friendship with the DPRK, noting that Vietnam wishes to cooperate more closely with the DPRK to develop bilateral collaboration on par with the two peoples’ aspirations for the sake of peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
He expressed sympathies to the DPRK on its current hardships and voiced his belief that the country will soon gain stability and peace to secure prosperous development, move forwards on the path to socialism, and ensure happiness and well-being for its people.
The leader asked the two sides to continue cooperating closely with and supporting each other at international and regional forums amid fast and complex developments in the region and the world.
Vietnam is ready to make active contributions to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the Korean Peninsula and Asia-Pacific, he remarked.
Ambassador Ri said it is his honour to work in Vietnam, and that he hopes to work with relevant agencies of Vietnam to organise diverse activities in 2024 to mark the 60 years since then leader Kim Il Sung visited Vietnam and ahead of the 75th founding anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties next year.
At the meeting with Swedish Ambassador Johan Ndisi, Lam highlighted that the two countries’ traditional friendship has been continuously enhanced over the recent past.
He emphasised many Swedish-funded projects’ substantial contributions to local socio-economic development and also welcomed Swedish businesses’ increased investment in the fields they are strong at, including infrastructure, transport, green transition, renewable energy, urban planning, and sustainable development.
He asked the countries to foster people-to-people exchanges via educational, cultural - art, sport, tourism, and locality-to-locality collaboration so as to deepen mutual understanding, friendship, and overall cooperation.
The two countries still hold considerable potential for tightening connections in such fields as trade - investment, education - training, science - technology, and renewable energy, he opined.
Echoing his host’s view on the thriving bilateral relations for the last over 50 years, Ndisi said many large businesses of Sweden have invested in Vietnam, and many more want to come here to explore investment and business opportunities in different areas.
He added that Sweden hopes to boost ties in the fields of innovation, sustainable development, climate change response, and green transition, which are also among its strengths.
The diplomat vowed to make concerted efforts during his term to continue nurturing the traditional friendship and sound cooperation between the two countries./.
