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