Vietnam values development of friendship with Portugal: PM
Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnamese Government always
values the development of traditional friendship with Portugal, Prime Minister
Pham Minh Chinh told Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs Joao Gomes Cravinho
during a reception in Hanoi on January 18.
PM Chinh suggested both sides facilitate visits, especially
those at high level to raise mutual understanding and political trust, as well
as fully and effectively tap existing cooperation mechanisms and build new ones
to step up collaboration in promising areas that match their interests.
On multilateral cooperation, he proposed working closely
together and offering mutual support at multilateral forums and international
organisations, making active contributions to dealing with regional and global
issues.
About economic ties, the host asked Portugal to create
favourable conditions for Vietnamese farm produce to navigate the country. He
wished the two nations would continue taking advantage of opportunities from
Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement to raise two-way trade, toward lifting it to 1
billion USD in the near future.
On the occasion, he suggested Portugal soon approve the
EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to facilitate fair and win-win
investment relationship between the two nations, urge the European
Commission’s early removal of yellow card warning on Vietnam’s aquatic products
to meet interests of Portuguese and EU consumers as well as ensure livelihoods
for hundreds of thousands of workers in the Vietnamese aquaculture industry.
Cravinho, who is on Vietnam visit from January 17-19, affirmed
that Portugal always considers Vietnam an important partner in the region and
expects to further develop all-around ties with the country.
He agreed to enhance collaboration in fields of Portugal’s
strength and Vietnam’s demand such as marine economy, maritime, renewable
energy, circular economy and digital transformation.
The FM vowed to continue realising contents of
Vietnam-Portugal tourism cooperation agreement and sharing experience in
tourism development, boost sport exchanges, particularly football training and
increasing scholarships to students specialised in tourism management, and
discuss the signing of labour cooperation deals.
He expressed his support for Vietnamese PM’s proposals related to joint
work to fight climate change toward fulfilling goals set at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Portugal will create favourable conditions for Vietnamese
community living in the country, open the market for Vietnamese farm produce
and have a say with the EC on the IUU yellow card, he said.
Regarding the East Sea issue, host and guest underscored the
importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of
navigation and overflight in the East Sea, settling disputes by peaceful means in
line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)./.