Helsinki (VNA) – General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam had a meeting with Tiina Sandberg, Chairperson of the Communist Party of Finland (SKP) in Helsinki on October 22 (local time) as part of his ongoing official visit to the European country.
General Secretary Lam expressed his pleasure at paying an official visit to Finland, the highest-level visit by a Vietnamese leader to Finland, which underscores Vietnam’s deep respect for its traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Finland. During this visit, both sides have agreed to elevate their relationship to a Strategic Partnership, he stressed.
Sharing information about the situation in Vietnam, General Secretary Lam affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, State, and people always remember and cherish the support from international progressive forces, including those from Finland, which helped the Vietnamese people in their struggle for national independence and reunification, and their ongoing socialism building process.
He expressed his hope for continued solidarity and cooperation to sustain growth and bring positive outcomes that benefit the people of both countries, while contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in their respective regions and in the world.
In the future, the Vietnamese leader suggested the two Parties continue to enhance exchanges, deepen cooperation, and engage in more meaningful activities through visits and theoretical exchanges. He also proposed maintaining collaboration at multilateral political forums where both Parties are members, such as the International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties (IMCWP).
He said the CPV and SKP should enhance the role of each Party and friendship organisations in exchanging information, organising cultural exchanges, and promoting people-to-people diplomacy to further enhance mutual understanding and solidarity between the people of the two nations, while supporting the Vietnamese and Finnish communities in each country. On this occasion, General Secretary Lam invited Sandberg and a SKP delegation to soon visit Vietnam.
For her part, Sandberg welcomed General Secretary Lam’s visit and emphasised its significance. She confirmed that the upgrade of Vietnam-Finland relations to the Strategic Partnership is an important milestone in strengthening the traditional friendship between the two countries.
She praised Vietnam’s tremendous and comprehensive achievements in socio-economic development under the leadership of the CPV and General Secretary Lam. She expressed pride as Vietnam is one of the few Communist Parties in the world that has successfully played a key role in every aspect of society, contributing effectively to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation, and development on the globe, and serving as an inspiration for progressive forces around the world.
The SKP leader also highlighted the active collaboration between her party and the Finland-Vietnam Friendship Association in promoting Finland’s culture and people in Vietnam, as well as organising cultural activities and preserving the Vietnamese language and heritage for the Vietnamese community in Finland. She affirmed that the SKP consistently supports strengthening the Vietnam-Finland relationship and furthering the bonds between the people of both countries. On this occasion, she sent warm greetings to the leaders of the Party, State, and people of Vietnam.
The two leaders expressed their delight at significant achievements in the bilateral relations and noted that Vietnam and Finland share many common views on international and regional issues of mutual interest. Both countries have regularly coordinated and supported each other at international and regional forums, they noted.
They agreed to strengthen and deepen cooperation, and develop the Vietnam-Finland traditional friendship and Strategic Partnership for the long-term benefit of the people of both nations and for peace, security, and sustainable development in the two regions and the world. They also reaffirmed their support for the principle of maintaining peace and stability in the regions and resolving disputes peacefully in accordance with international law./.
