Politics

Vietnam, Switzerland enjoy growing ties: Ambassador

The Vietnam-Switzerland relationship has grown strongly in various fields over the past years, stated Vietnamese Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein Pham Hai Bang.
Vietnam, Switzerland enjoy growing ties: Ambassador ảnh 1Vietnamese Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein Pham Hai Bang (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – TheVietnam-Switzerland relationship has grown strongly in various fields over thepast years, stated Vietnamese Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein PhamHai Bang.

In an interview with the Vietnam NewsAgency on their bilateral ties, the diplomat said that in terms of politics, seniorleaders from both sides have held regular visits and meetings, while also coordinatingclosely in international forums, especially within ASEAN, ASEM, and Francophonemeet-ups.

Switzerland has supported Vietnam’s run fora seat at the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure, while Vietnam has similarlybacked Switzerland’s candidacy for the council in the 2023-2024 tenure.

Political and human rights consultationshave been regularly implemented by the two foreign affairs ministries.

In the field of economics, Ambassador Bangcited statistics from Switzerland’s customs agency showing that two-way tradeover the past five years reached over 7.9 billion CHF (7.92 billion USD), withVietnam enjoying a trade surplus.

Switzerland is the third largest Europeaninvestor in Vietnam with direct investment totalling nearly 2 billion USD.  In the 2017-2020 period, the Swiss Governmentcommitted 90 million CHF in official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam.

During Swiss Minister of Environment,Transport, Energy, and Communications Doris Leuthard’s Hanoi visit in April2018, the two sides signed a new aviation transport deal that will allow Swissairline Edelweiss Air to open a direct route linking Zurich and Ho Chi MinhCity from this November, creating opportunities for bilateral tourism and tradecooperation, said Bang.

The Ambassador highlighted that Vietnam andthe European Free Trade Area (EFTA), of which Switzerland is a member, are negotiatinga free trade agreement.

Once the agreement is signed, economic and tradecollaboration between Vietnam and Switzerland, as well as other members of theEFTA, is expected to expand strongly, he stated. –VNA 
VNA
#Vietnam-Switzerland relationship #Switzerland #ASEAN #ASEM #Francophone #Vietnam #Vietnam news #Vietnam News Agency
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