Vietnamese President meets head of Swiss National Council

Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) on November 26 met President of the Swiss National Council Andreas Aebi as part of his  official visit to Switzerland. (Photo: VNA)

Bern (VNA) – Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on November 26 met President of the Swiss National Council Andreas Aebi as part of his  official visit to Switzerland.

President Phuc said Vietnam always attaches importance to consolidating and enhancing the traditional friendship and cooperation with Switzerland, which has been nurtured by people of the two countries over the past 50 years.

On behalf of the Vietnamese State and people, he thanked Switzerland for its official development assistance (ODA) and support to Vietnam in socio-economic development, helping the Southeast Asian country to achieve many millennium development goals (MDGs) ahead of schedule.

President Phuc highlighted Switzerland’s donation of medial supplies to aid Vietnam in the COVID-19 combat in August.

For his part, Aebi affirmed that Vietnam is an important partner of Switzerland in Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific at large, expressing his hope that President Phuc’s visit will create momentum to boost the bilateral ties in all spheres in the time ahead.

The two leaders noted with pleasure the positive development of the Vietnam-Switzerland relationship, both bilaterally and multilaterally, and via the State and parliamentary channels.

Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (left) on November 26 met President of the Swiss National Council Andreas Aebi as part of his  official visit to Switzerland. (Photo: VNA)

They consented to take specific and strong measures to further step up cooperative ties, especially in economy, trade, investment, and innovation, to be on par with the potential and strength of the two countries, and tackle the pandemic's impacts.

Informing Aebi about his earlier talks with President Guy Parmelin, the Vietnamese leader called on the Swiss National Council to back joint efforts in enhancing and expanding collaboration in politics, economy, development cooperation, science-technology, and education-training, particularly the early signing of a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) that comprises Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland, and the establishment of a priority partnership in innovation between Vietnam and Switzerland.

President Phuc used this occasion to thank the Swiss National Council for its support for the bilateral ties, particularly for Vietnam’s development assistance.

Aebi expressed his wish for stronger cooperation between the parliaments of the two countries and his support for strengthened economic ties, notably the early signing of the FTA between Vietnam and the EFTA.

Switzerland stands ready to partner with Vietnam in innovation, he said.

Aebi lauded contributions of the Vietnamese community in Switzerland to socio-economic development as well as cultural diversity of the host country.

President Phuc proposed the Swiss National Council continue support and create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in Switzerland to work as a bridge to further promote bilateral relations.

At the meeting, President Phuc also conveyed National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue’s greetings and invitation to Aebi to visit Vietnam./.

VNA