Hanoi (VNA) - President To Lam on August 1 hosted a banquet in honour of Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta, who is on a state visit to Vietnam.
In his speech, President Lam affirmed that President Ramos-Horta's second visit to Vietnam in his capacity as a State leader not only reflected the warm sentiments of Timor-Leste leaders and people but also generated fresh momentum for bilateral ties to grow more effectively.
He congratulated Timor-Leste on its impressive strides in national development and global integration, and moving closer to the goal of becoming a full ASEAN member.
Vietnam takes pride in being one of the first regional countries to recognise Timor-Leste's independence and establish diplomatic relations. Over more than two decades of accompanying each other, the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Timor-Leste has flourished, with increasingly consolidated political trust and active economic and trade ties, he said.
Amid a complex and uncertain global landscape, the Vietnamese leader stressed the importance of regional solidarity.
"Vietnam, Timor-Leste, and other countries in the region need to stand together to overcome challenges and seize development opportunities", Lam asserted.
He expressed confidence that with strong political will and high determination of the two countries’ leaders and people, the bilateral ties will develop robustly, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in Southeast Asia and globally.
Admiring Vietnam's achievements in national construction and development, President Ramos-Horta hailed Vietnam as a role model that Timor-Leste, along with many other emerging economies, aspires to follow.
Timor-Leste wishes to continue learning from Vietnam's experiences and successes, he said, expressing his belief that the two countries will further deepen their collaboration, particularly in such promising areas as agriculture and infrastructure, for the interests of both countries' people.
As Timor-Leste is looking forward to becoming an official member of ASEAN in 2025, he affirmed that this presents a valuable opportunity for Timor-Leste to learn from its neighbouring countries and join in efforts to build regional stability and progress.
The President expressed his gratitude to Vietnam for its continuous support in Timor-Leste's journey toward ASEAN membership, saying that Vietnam's assistance has been crucial in its preparation process./.
