Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA)– Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held phone talkswith Foreign Minister of Maldives Abdulla Shahid on October 9 to discuss bilateral ties andregional and global issues of shared concern, on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties.
Minh spoke highly ofMaldives’ efforts against COVID-19 pandemic and initial success in reopeningits door to international tourists. He thanked the Maldives Government forcreating favourable conditions for flights to carry Vietnamese citizens home inJuly.
Shahid congratulated Vietnam onsuccessfully coping with the pandemic and switching to “new normal” state with positive economic growth. He thanked the Vietnamese Government and peoplefor providing valuable material and spiritual support for Maldives in the fightagainst the pandemic.
The two ministers agreed to make further efforts toboost substantial and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two nationsto meet expectation of their people.
They pledged to facilitate all-level visits andpeople-to-people exchange, step up trade, investment, tourism and coordinationin fields of strength and demand such as maritime and aquaculture.
The Vietnamese leaderaffirmed that Vietnam treasures relationship with countries in the IndianOcean, including Maldives, evidenced via the hosting of the Indian OceanConference in Hanoi in August 2018.
Both sides vowed tocontinue strengthening joint work and mutual support at multilateral forums,especially at the United Nations on the basis of respecting nationalsovereignty and international law, for the benefit of the two countries' people and forpeace, stability and development in the region and the world./.
