President Tran Dai Quang (R) and Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe (Source: VNA) The President expressed hisdelight at the fruitful outcomes of bilateral wide-ranging ties since theestablishment of their diplomatic relations 47 years ago, saying that two-waytrade has grown steadily, averaging 34 percent for 2010-2016.
He asked for increasing theexchange of delegations and meetings at all levels and effectively implementingexisting cooperation mechanisms towards reaching a two-way trade of 1 billionUSD, particularly in the fields of apparel, rubber, farm produce, fisheries, jewelry,footwear and machinery.
Both sides need to activelyimplement their Agreement on Investment Promotion and Protection signed inOctober 2009 and a portfolio of fields prioritised for investment under acooperation agreement between the two foreign investment agencies signed inOctober 2011, he said, adding that the two countries’ businesses also shouldactively join in trade promotion activities, technological transfer in fisheriesexploitation, processing and export, as well as promote connectivity via anagreement on air transport between the two governments that took effect inDecember 2012.
The host requested continuing tostrengthen cooperation and mutual support at multilateral forums, especiallywithin the framework of the United Nations and the Non-Align Movement.
On the occasion, he asked SriLanka to back Vietnam’s run for non-permanent member of the United NationsSecurity Council for the 2020-2021 tenure and UNESCO Director General for2017-2021.
Vietnam welcomes and encouragesSri Lanka to enhance specific and practical collaboration with ASEAN,contributing to reinforcing ties between the bloc and the South AsianAssociation for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
Wickremesinghe, for his part, briefed the host about the outcomes of his talkswith Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc, saying that both sides agreed tofurther boost economic and trade ties on the back of their solid politicalrelationship at present, as well as increase people-to-people exchange.
On regional and global issues, hesaid Sri Lanka supports a maritime environment of peace, strongly commits to complyingwith the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and stands readyto contribute to initiatives to ensure maritime freedom in the region.
He also thanked President Quangfor his sympathy with losses suffered by Sri Lankan people in a recent garbage dumpcollapse in the capital city of Colombo.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesingheis on an official visit to Vietnam from April 16-18 at the invitation of PrimeMinister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. The two sides issued a joint statement on theoccasion of the visit, under which, they agreed on major orientations tolifting bilateral ties to a new height.-VNA
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