DPM wraps up Irish trip

Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung (L) and Irish President Michael D. Higgins, April 23, 2017 - Photo: VGP/Xuan Tuyen

Deputy PM Dung met with Irish President Michael D. Higgins, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan.

He expressed the satisfaction at the growing relations between the two countries, showing the aspiration to beef up comprehensive ties, especially in high-tech farming, education and training, and energy.

The Deputy PM treasured and highly valued Ireland’s development projects which contributed to poverty reduction in Viet Nam.

President Michael D. Higgins repeated his feelings and impression in his State visit to Viet Nam in 2016; congratulated Viet Nam on its achievements in socio-economic development and international integration. He hoped to beef up ties with Viet Nam which plays an important role in Southeast Asia.

Both the host and the guest expressed their satisfaction at trade relations; agreed to cement and deepen ties in high-quality agricultural production, energy, and adaption to climate change.

Regarding the East Sea, the Irish President stressed the necessity to maintain peace, stability, development, and use peaceful solutions to disputes on the basis of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.  

Effective bilateral contacts

During a working session with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan, Deputy PM Dung affirmed that Viet Nam attached importance to the cooperative ties with Ireland. He suggested Ireland back the EU to early ratify the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement and recognize Viet Nam as a market economy. The Deputy PM proposed Ireland increase scholarships for Vietnamese students and create favorable ways for overseas Vietnamese community to integrate into the host country.

Minister Charles Flanagan agreed to closely work to realize signed agreements especially in economics-trade, development cooperation, agriculture, foodstuff, education-training.

Both sides were unanimous in shaking hands to implement their joint national strategy for the 2017-2020 period, focusing on support for Viet Nam’s socio-economic development, poverty eradication, and climate change response.

They also approved to conduct procedures on child adoption and market facilitation.

Working with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, Deputy PM Dung praised Ireland’s agricultural achievements. The Deputy PM took the occasion to seek Irish backing of high-tech farming, forestry cooperation, and climate change response.

Mr. Dung proposed Ireland create favorable ways for Vietnamese agro-fishery products to access  Ireland in particular and the EU in general.

In reply, Minister Michael Creed shared useful experience in modern technology applications in traditional farm models which contributed to converting Ireland into one of the European leading countries in agricultural production. The Minister stressed that Ireland stands ready to cooperate with Viet Nam in power production, pharmaceuticals, and food processing.

On early April 23 (local time), the Vietnamese Deputy PM and the delegation left Ireland for a working visit to the UK./.

By Kim Loan