Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and President of ANA Holding (Source: VNA) Tokyo (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on May 26 on the sidelines of the expanded Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Mie prefecture, Japan.
The PM said Vietnam is willing to share experience and boost technical cooperation with Sri Lanka in agriculture, and suggested the two countries’ Sub-Committees for Commercial Cooperation seek ways to lift two-way trade, particularly in the fields in need of priority investment such as oil and gas.
He thanked Sri Lanka for supporting Vietnam’s bid running for seats at the United Nations agencies and hoped that the country will back Vietnam candidate’s run for the post of UNESCO General Director for 2017-2021.
The Vietnamese leader asked Sri Lanka to support ASEAN and Vietnam’s stance on the settlement of the East Sea issue by peaceful means in line with international law.
Sri Lankan President Sirisena wished to learn from Vietnam’s development experience via visit exchange at all levels. He informed the PM that a delegation of businesses led by the Sri Lankan PM will visit Vietnam in the near future.
Meeting the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, PM Phuc affirmed that Vietnam is committed to the UN’s efforts to build a world of peace and sustainable development, including its peacekeeping missions.
He also informed the UN chief about Vietnam’s ongoing plans to implement the Paris Agreement adopted at the 21 st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Ban Ki-moon, pledged to help Vietnam enhance its role in the UN peacekeeping mission and hoped that Vietnamese female officers will be deployed for the mission in the future.
Expressing his sympathy with Vietnam’s difficulties caused by drought and climate change, he said special envoys in charge of drought alleviation have been sent to various countries to provide necessary assistance.
On the East Sea issue, the UN Secretary General reiterated his consistent stance on supporting the peaceful settlement of disputes in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
He hoped that ASEAN and China would fully and effectively realise the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, towards formulating a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.
During a reception for Secretary General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Angel Gurria, the PM asked for further assistance for Vietnam in several areas such as improving the efficiency of using official development assistance, fine-tuning investment policy and environment, green growth and climate change response, sustainable agriculture and workforce development.
Gurria vowed to assist Vietnam in training a contingent of high-quality workers and successfully performing its role as APEC Chair 2017.
Receiving Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde, the PM hoped for the IMF’s continued support and policy consultation in macro-economic stabilisation and economic reform in Vietnam.
Both sides agreed to intensify joint work in developing a green growth model, sustainable growth and renewable energy.
Also the same day, PM Phuc met Governor of Aichi prefecture Hideaki Omura and assured him that the Vietnamese government will continue refining laws and creating all possible support for investors, including those from Japan.-VNA
