State President Nguyen Minh Triet met Chile’s acting President of Senate Carlos Bianchi and President of Chamber of Deputies of Chile Rodrigo Alvarez Zenteno in Santiago de Chile on Oct. 1 ( Chile time).

During the meetings, President Triet said that Vietnam highly valued Chile’s role and position in the region and the world and attached importance to development of friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Latin American countries, including Chile.

The President stressed his current visit to Chile manifested Vietnam’s determination to deepen the two sides’ friendship and comprehensive cooperation.

He shared the view with his hosts that legislative bodies of Vietnam and Chile play an important role and position in bilateral cooperation, particularly by building a legal corridor for stable and sustainable ties.

The Vietnamese President said he wished the two countries’ legislative bodies promote their sharing of experience in legal development and legal enforcement, and coordination at inter-parliamentary forums.

He said he believed that Vietnam and Chile would join efforts to bring the two sides’ friendship and cooperation to a new height, for benefits of both peoples and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the two regions and the world at large.

The Chilean parliament leaders affirmed that fruitful results from President Triet’s visit would contribute to increasing understanding and mutual assistance between the two countries’ people, ushering Chile-Vietnam cooperation into a new stage of development with brighter future.

Earlier the same day, President Triet attended the Vietnam-Chile business forum which drew Chilean Deputy Permanent Foreign Minister Alberto Van Klaveren and representatives from Vietnamese and Chilean firms.

President Triet affirmed Vietnam’s wish to develop the friendship between the two countries and peoples as well as accelerate multi-faceted cooperation, focusing on economy, trade and investment.

Chile was a leading supporter of Vietnam’s bid to join the World Trade Organisation and among first nations to recognise Vietnam’s market economy, he said.

The two countries are accelerating negotiations in order to sign their free trade agreement (FTA) nearly next year, making a breakthrough for bilateral economic-trade cooperation.

At the forum, President Triet witnessed the signing of a cooperation document between the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Chilean Industry Association (SOFOFA).

Also the same day, President Triet called on Angela Jeria, mother of Chilean President Michelle Bachelet.

Later the day, the President and his entourages left Santiago de Chile, ending his state visit to Chile./.