Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse, and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam returned to Hanoi at noon on January 23, concluding their official visits to Poland and the Czech Republic, and their attendance at the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) and bilateral activities in Switzerland.
In his eight-day trip, Chinh had a hectic schedule, as he held talks and meetings with most of the high-ranking leaders of the State, Government, and Parliament of Poland and the Czech Republic, and held talks with the Swiss President.
A key outcome is that all the three European countries expressed a desire and agreed to upgrade and enhance their relations with Vietnam. Specifically, Vietnam and Poland aim to elevate their relationship to a Strategic Partnership; Vietnam and the Czech Republic upgraded their ties to a Strategic Partnership; while Vietnam and Switzerland elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership.
The PM and the leaders of the countries agreed on measures to create new momentum for cooperation in traditional areas such as trade, investment, tourism, education and training, defence and security, culture, tourism, and labour; and to expand collaboration into new ones such as digital transformation, green transition, information and communication technology, cybersecurity, pharmaceuticals, automotive industry, and aviation and railway connectivity. In particular, trade between Vietnam and Poland as well as the Czech Republic is set to increase to 5 billion USD per year, up from the current level of around 2 billion USD.
To quickly materialise these agreements and the desire to enhance cooperation, Chinh also engaged with leaders of various organisations, political parties, and friendship associations, and visited many cultural, scientific, and technological institutions in the countries. He chaired forums, dialogues, and meetings with leading businesses from these countries to encourage investment and promote trade between Vietnam and the respective countries. On this occasion, Vietnam and the three countries signed eight cooperation agreements in such areas as diplomacy, labour, aviation, education, sports, and culture.
In addition, the Government leader took time to visit businesses owned by Vietnamese people and met with embassy staffs and the Vietnamese communities in Poland and the Czech Republic. Chinh and his wife also joined them in Xuan Que Huong (Homeland Spring) programmes.
At the WEF’s 55th Annual Meeting, PM Chinh had a packed schedule, as he participated in and delivered speeches at four discussion sessions, three of them exclusively designed by the WEF for Vietnam.
He held meetings with nearly 20 leaders from various countries and international organisations. Together with leaders from ministries, sectors, and localities, he engaged in exchanges and dialogues with nearly 250 top econommic groups in five separate discussion sessions.
At the WEF meeting, the PM and the Vietnamese delegation conveyed a strong message of sincerity, cooperation, solidarity, and responsibility toward the international community; and expressed the country’s readiness and desire to foster effective cooperation with partners.
The Government leader’s trip continues to implement and affirm Vietnam's foreign policy, and helps further deepen the country's relations with its partners, enhance its position and role, and highlight its responsible contributions to the global community. It also conveys a message of determination and ambition to attract international resources to drive national development in the new era./.
