Hanoi (VNA) - State President Luong Cuong held talks with King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in Hanoi on November 12, during which the two sides agreed on measures to bring bilateral ties to a new phase of development.
President Cuong warmly welcomed the King on his first visit to Vietnam, stressing that the visit holds historic significance as the first high-level exchange between the two countries since they established diplomatic relations 45 years ago (1980–2025).
He expressed his hope that the visit will open a new chapter in bilateral relations.
Congratulating Jordan on its development achievements over nearly eight decades of independence, particularly in implementing the Economic Modernisation Vision with a focus on sustainable, equitable growth, the Vietnamese President noted that these are crucial foundations for expanding multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.
He affirmed that Vietnam attaches great importance to strengthening substantive and effective ties with Jordan.
The King extended his congratulations on the significant socio-economic achievements that Vietnam has recorded. He also conveyed his sympathies for the great losses and damage suffered by Vietnam and its people due to recent natural disasters.
Agreeing with the host's assessment of the shared characteristics between the two nations, the King affirmed that the most precious assets of both countries lie in the diligence and creativity of their peoples, as well as in the high quality of their education systems and the two nations’ efforts to promote science, technology and digital transformation.
In an open, sincere and trusting atmosphere, the two leaders shared the view that bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and Jordan remains modest and has yet to match the potential and aspirations of their leaders and peoples.
On that basis, President Cuong and King Abdullah II concurred that the two countries should further consolidate political trust through the increased exchange of delegations, especially at high levels. They agreed on the need to effectively implement the memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the two foreign ministries signed during the visit, consider the early conclusion of other cooperation mechanisms, and soon appoint honorary consuls in each country to facilitate collaboration.
King Abdullah II suggested that the two foreign ministries serve as focal points to discuss measures to enhance bilateral cooperation, including harmonising respective regulations to create a favourable legal framework for collaboration in various fields.
Building upon this strong foundation of political trust, the two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in the areas of defence and security, particularly in information sharing, exchanges of experts and officials, with a view to enhancing mutual understanding and sharing experience in matters of shared concern.
In the economic sphere, both sides agreed to create favourable conditions for greater market access for each other’s key products and to encourage enterprises from both countries to explore cooperation and investment opportunities, particularly in infrastructure development, the green and digital economies, telecommunications, and agricultural production and processing. They also agreed to promote connections between their respective start-up and innovation ecosystems.
King Abdullah II proposed that the two countries study the possibility of opening a direct flight route between Vietnam and Jordan and facilitate visa issuance for their citizens.
Highlighting Vietnam’s strengths in agriculture, President Cuong affirmed that the country is ready to expand exports of its key agricultural products to Jordan. King Abdullah II, in turn, expressed his willingness to support Vietnam in developing its Halal industry by sharing information and experience on Halal certification and by opening Jordan’s market to Vietnamese Halal products.
The two leaders also discussed measures to promote cooperation in health care - a sector in which Jordan has considerable expertise, particularly in telemedicine and the application of technology in medical services.
In the field of education and training, they agreed to strengthen student and academic exchanges, especially in emerging disciplines such as science and technology, artificial intelligence, and semiconductors. They emphasised that this area holds great potential and offers new opportunities for the younger generations of both countries.
Regarding cooperation at multilateral forums, the two sides agreed to maintain regular consultation and mutual support for each other’s candidacies, and to serve as a bridge promoting closer relations between the Arab League and ASEAN. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concern, including the East Sea issue.
Following the talks, Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung and Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and the Jordan Institute of Diplomacy./.
