Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan (L) shakes hands with Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi (Photo: VNA) Pretoria (VNA) – The official visits to Mozambiqueand South Africa by Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan from September 10 -17 have contributed to speeding up the implementationof the project "Developing relations between Vietnam and countries in theMiddle East - Africa region in 2016-2025”, said Deputy Foreign Minister Le ThiThu Hang.
In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, Hang underlined the significance of the visits, saying that they holdsimportance to Vietnam and the two African nations.
The visits were steps to strongly implement the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation anddevelopment, and diversification and multilateralisation of foreign relations set forth by the 13th Party Congress, Hangsaid.
They also demonstrated that Vietnam attaches importance to its relations with Mozambiqueand South Africa – Vietnam's two traditional friends in Africa, she wenton.
Vice President Xuan’s visits marked new milestones in strengthening bilateralrelations with the two African countries, Hang said, noting that they were thefirst high-level visit by a Vietnamese leader to Mozambique in sevenyears and to South Africa in four years.
They reflected the determination to further expand and deepen the traditionalfriendship between Vietnam and Mozambique, and the partnership for cooperationand development between Vietnam and South Africa, the official stressed, noting that the visits have achieved positive results across aspects and contributed tofurther strengthening the political trust between Vietnam and the two nations.
According to Hang, leaders of both African nations repeatedly expressed theiradmiration for Vietnam's development achievements under the leadership of theCommunist Party of Vietnam (CPV), and underlined their friendship with theSoutheast Asian nation.
In Mozambique, Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan held talks and met with President Filipe Nyusi who is President of Mozambican Liberation Front (Frelimo), Prime Minister Adriano Maleiane, Presidentof the Assembly of Mozambique Esperanca Laurinda Francisco Nhiuane Bias, Secretary-General of Frelimo Roque Silva, and President of the Municipal Council of Maputo Eneas Comiche.
In South Africa, theVietnamese leader held talks with South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile, and had meetings with leaders of the South African Communist Party (SACP) and theAfrican National Congress (ANC) Party, and key officials of ministries and sectors.
Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan meets OVs in Mozambique (Photo: VNA)
Leaders of the two countries agreed toincrease delegation exchanges and high-level meetings through both Party and Statechannels; promote the sharing of experience in leadership and state management; enhance the role of bilateral cooperation mechanisms; and negotiate and signcooperation documents to strengthen the legal framework. They affirmed continuedcoordination and mutual support at multilateral forums.
Vietnam supports both Mozambique and South Africa in their cooperation withASEAN, while the African nations committed to serve as bridges connecting Vietnamand the African Union (AU) and facilitate Vietnam’s access to the Africanmarket.
The Vietnamese Vice President’s visits have also created new momentum foreconomic, investment, and trade cooperation between Vietnam and the Africanstates, Deputy FM Hang said.
Vietnam considers culture as an importantchannel for strengthening exchange and connectivity between Vietnam and the Africannations, Hang said.
The Deputy FM said she believes that on the basis of common perceptions achievedby leaders of Vietnam and the African nations, relevant ministries, sectors andagencies of each country will continue to coordinate and take specific measuresto elevate the cooperation between Vietnam and the two countries to new heights,for the sake of the people of all three countries, contributing to peace,stability, cooperation, and development on both continents and around theworld./.
