Vietnamese, Swedish PMs hold phone talks over COVID-19, bilateral relations
Hanoi (VNA) - Prime
Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Swedish counterpart Stefan Löfven
discussed cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and enhancing the two countries’
relations during phone talks on April 15.
PM Phuc informed the Swedish PM
of the overall measures Vietnam has been taking, the Vietnamese Government’s resolve
to control the outbreak, and the positive outcomes it has obtained so far, including
the safety of Vietnamese citizens and foreign nationals in the country.
He asked Sweden to provide healthcare
and support for Vietnamese living in the Scandinavian country during the pandemic.
He also expressed Vietnam’s readiness to share information and experience in COVID-19
prevention and control with Sweden and to strengthen ties with other countries and
international organisations in this regard.
Valuing Vietnam’s outstanding
achievements in combating COVID-19, PM Löfven expressed his
thanks for the medical assistance and treatment given to Swedish citizens in
the country suffering from the virus.
He said he hopes the two countries
will exchange experience and increase cooperation in disease prevention and control,
within both bilateral and multilateral frameworks, especially as Vietnam is currently
holding key positions in ASEAN and the UN Security Council, thereby helping to foster
international cooperation.
PM Phuc also affirmed that Sweden
is an important and trustworthy partner of Vietnam in the EU.
He expressed his appreciation
of the valuable assistance provided to Vietnam by the Swedish Government and its
people over the decades and hopes that bilateral ties will be further strengthened.
PM Löfven
also expressed his delight at the development of the friendship and multifaceted
cooperation between Vietnam and Sweden in the more recent past.
He called on both sides to build
on their achievements, tap into cooperative potential in different spheres, particularly
sustainable development, innovation, and trade and investment, and bring into play
the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and Investment Protection Agreement.
The two PMs highly valued the
outcomes of the official visit to Sweden by PM Phuc in May last year on the occasion
of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
They agreed to enhance existing
cooperative mechanisms and lift bilateral links to new heights to meet the development
demand of both countries. The two will also work closely together at international
and regional forums, as Vietnam is ASEAN Chair in 2020 and a non-permanent member
of the UN Security Council in 2020-2021.
PM Phuc again invited his
Swedish counterpart to visit Vietnam, who replied he will arrange the trip soon./.