At the event (Photo: VNA) QuangNinh (VNA) – Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign MinisterPham Binh Minh and Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith co-chaired thesixth ministerial consultation in the northern province of Quang Ninh onDecember 25.
Bothsides expressed their delight at the considerable development of bilateral tiesin various areas, with stronger political trust and regular visits at alllevels. Two-way trade is estimated at 1.1-1.2 billion USD this year, up 12.6percent from 2018, surpassing the set target.
Theyshared the view that 2020 will be an important year of both Vietnam and Laosbecause Vietnam will serve as Chair of ASEAN and a non-permanent member of theUnited Nations Security Council while Laos will host sub-regional mechanismssuch as the Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Summit and the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya -Mekong Economic CooperationStrategy (ACMECS) Summit. Vietnam and Laos will also prepare for the NationalParty Congress of each country in 2021.
Minh asked the two foreign ministries to further liftbilateral ties amid complicated developments in the region and the world, andcontinue working closely together to prepare for high-level visits.
He suggested further improving the quality of consultations, diversifyingand renewing forms of exchanges to share professional experience.
Saleumxay, for his part, said the two foreign ministries needto effectively implement high-level agreements and important cooperationmechanisms, initially the 42nd meeting of the Laos- VietnamInter-Governmental Committee slated for January 2020, as well as enhanceconsultations at regional and global forums, especially those within the ASEANand UN frameworks.
He proposed that the two foreign ministries should workclosely together on regional strategic issues to serve economic development andglobal integration, and sign a cooperation agreement for the 2021-2026 periodduring the next political consultation.
Laos will offer all possible support to Vietnam when thecountry serves as Chair of ASEAN and a non-permanent member of the UN SecurityCouncil for the 2020-2021 tenure, he said, adding that Laos backs ASEAN’scommon stance on regional common security issues.
The two ministers spoke highly of collaboration between thetwo foreign ministries in line with their 2014-2020 cooperation agreement aswell as annual cooperation mechanisms.
They updated each other about foreign policy of each countryand extensively discussed regional and global issues of shared concern,including the strategic environment in Asia-Pacific, cooperation in ASEAN,sub-regional development and the East Sea issues.
The ministers highlighted the observance of international lawand ASEAN’s central role in regional architecture, and vowed to continueworking closely together at regional and global forums, helping to improve the positionof each nation on the international arena.
Following the consultation, the two ministers signed anaction programme on cooperation in further promoting economic diplomacy betweenthe two foreign ministries for the 2020 – 2025 period./.
Bothsides expressed their delight at the considerable development of bilateral tiesin various areas, with stronger political trust and regular visits at alllevels. Two-way trade is estimated at 1.1-1.2 billion USD this year, up 12.6percent from 2018, surpassing the set target.
Theyshared the view that 2020 will be an important year of both Vietnam and Laosbecause Vietnam will serve as Chair of ASEAN and a non-permanent member of theUnited Nations Security Council while Laos will host sub-regional mechanismssuch as the Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Summit and the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya -Mekong Economic CooperationStrategy (ACMECS) Summit. Vietnam and Laos will also prepare for the NationalParty Congress of each country in 2021.
Minh asked the two foreign ministries to further liftbilateral ties amid complicated developments in the region and the world, andcontinue working closely together to prepare for high-level visits.
He suggested further improving the quality of consultations, diversifyingand renewing forms of exchanges to share professional experience.
Saleumxay, for his part, said the two foreign ministries needto effectively implement high-level agreements and important cooperationmechanisms, initially the 42nd meeting of the Laos- VietnamInter-Governmental Committee slated for January 2020, as well as enhanceconsultations at regional and global forums, especially those within the ASEANand UN frameworks.
He proposed that the two foreign ministries should workclosely together on regional strategic issues to serve economic development andglobal integration, and sign a cooperation agreement for the 2021-2026 periodduring the next political consultation.
Laos will offer all possible support to Vietnam when thecountry serves as Chair of ASEAN and a non-permanent member of the UN SecurityCouncil for the 2020-2021 tenure, he said, adding that Laos backs ASEAN’scommon stance on regional common security issues.
The two ministers spoke highly of collaboration between thetwo foreign ministries in line with their 2014-2020 cooperation agreement aswell as annual cooperation mechanisms.
They updated each other about foreign policy of each countryand extensively discussed regional and global issues of shared concern,including the strategic environment in Asia-Pacific, cooperation in ASEAN,sub-regional development and the East Sea issues.
The ministers highlighted the observance of international lawand ASEAN’s central role in regional architecture, and vowed to continueworking closely together at regional and global forums, helping to improve the positionof each nation on the international arena.
Following the consultation, the two ministers signed anaction programme on cooperation in further promoting economic diplomacy betweenthe two foreign ministries for the 2020 – 2025 period./.
VNA
