Tianjin (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on September 1 held separate meetings with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev, on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China.
At the meetings, the leaders of the countries and international organisations spoke highly of the first-time attendance of a high-ranking Vietnamese leader at the summit, voiced their desire to step up multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam, and expressed admiration for the nation’s socio-economic achievements, believing it will successfully realise its major development goals.
Mongolian President Khurelsukh stressed that Vietnam is regarded as Mongolia’s “third neighbour” and a leading partner in Southeast Asia. He voiced his belief that Vietnam will achieve double-digit growth, and called for stronger, result-oriented cooperation in economy, trade, investment, agriculture, tourism, defence and security. The leader invited PM Chinh to pay a visit to Mongolia.
PM Chinh suggested that both sides strengthen collaboration in key areas such as mining and processing essential minerals, and create favourable conditions for agro-products to access each other’s markets. He also called for close coordination and mutual support in regional and international issues of shared concern.
At the meeting with the Pakistani PM, the two leaders agreed to promote visits and exchanges at all levels. PM Sharif expressed his wish that Vietnam will serve as a bridge to foster stronger ties between Pakistan and Southeast Asia.
Meeting the Kyrgyz President, PM Chinh affirmed Vietnam’s desire to enhance the traditional friendship by bolstering all-level delegation exchanges and closer coordination and support at multilateral forums.
President Japarov pledged to facilitate Vietnamese investment in Kyrgyzstan, particularly in minerals, construction, and solar power, while affirming mutual support at international forums. He also extended an invitation to PM Chinh to visit Kyrgyzstan at an appropriate time.
Both sides agreed to step up cooperation in economy-trade-investment, culture, education, security, defence, and people-to-people exchanges.
Meanwhile, SCO Secretary-General Yermekbayev thanked the Vietnamese leader for attending the summit as a guest. Having visited Vietnam many times, he expressed warm feelings for its land and people.
PM Chinh lauded the SCO’s growing role in contributing to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world, as well as the relevance of the summit’s theme - "SCO Year of Sustainable Development.”
He affirmed Vietnam’s active, responsible participation in SCO activities will contribute to strengthening the role of multilateralism and international law, including the UN Charter, for an environment of stability, prosperity, and equal, mutually beneficial cooperation in the region and the world.
On the occasion, the Vietnamese leader called for join work in stepping up ASEAN – SCO cooperation and for the SCO’s support for the bloc’s central role in the evolving regional architecture./.
