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Diplomatic highlights in January

VGP – Diplomatic events aim to disseminate Viet Nam's development achievements and development orientations at multilateral forums and strengthen ties with countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

February 03, 2019 2:24 PM GMT+7

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and President of the World Economic Forum Borge Brende in Davos, Switzerland on January 24, 2019.

Sending strong messages to WEF

Vietnamese PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc led a delegation to the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland at the invitation of the founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab.

The WEF Davos 2019 was the first multilateral forum where Phuc popularized the country’s socio-economic development and international integration achievements as well as the Government’s commitments to innovation in order to achieve sustainable and inclusive development in the context of the 4th industrial revolution.

He assured the international community, especially foreign investors that the Government will continue efforts to improve business environment to make the country a reliable destination for foreign investors at his meetings with leaders of several foreign business giants.

During his stay in Davos, the Vietnamese PM also attended the Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders (IGWEL) under the theme "the World in the Age of Globalization 4.0" and had a conversation themed “Viet Nam and the World” with WEF President Borge Brende.

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (center) attends a plenary session of the APPF-27 in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Strengthening parliamentary cooperation

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan who is the Chair of the 26th  Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (Annual Meeting (APPF-26) partook in the APPF-27 in Siem Reap, Cambodia at the invitation of President of the Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin. 

The Vietnamese top legislator stressed that the Ha Noi Declaration adopted at the APPF-26 marked the 25-year development of the forum and opened up a new vision for parliamentary ties in Asia-Pacific by 2030. 

The document highlights efforts in accelerating trade liberalization, narrowing development gaps between APPF member countries and promoting the implementation of international development commitments, especially the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), she added. 

However, she said, the Asia-Pacific region has still maintained its growth pace and served as the driver of the global economy and the core factor in expanding multi-layer connectivity and enhancing partnership for the targets of peace, cooperation and sustainable development. 

Pursuing the targets of independence, self-reliance, dialogue and cooperation on the basis of international law and the United Nations Charter is the basic foundation to maintain peace, security and development, Ngan emphasized.  

* A high-ranking delegation of the Australian Senate led by President Scott Ryan arrived in Ha Noi on January 20 evening, beginning an official visit to Viet Nam until January 25.

The Australian guest highlighted the sound growth of bilateral parliamentary ties based on signed agreements. He added that both sides have sustained their exchange of all-level delegations and experience in parliamentary activities, increased mutual understanding and bilateral cooperation, as well as supported each other at multilateral parliamentary forums.  

The Australian parliament has worked closely with Viet Nam’s National Assembly in experience exchange and capacity building for deputies and particularly female legislators.

He affirmed that Australia wants to stand side-by-side with Vietnam along its development and to help the country sustainably maintain its economic growth via human resources training and policy development programs.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) shakes hands with Lao PM Thongloun Sisoulith in Ha Noi on January 6, 2019 before co-chairing the 41st meeting of the Viet Nam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee. Photo: VGP

Strengthening cooperation with ASEAN members

Earlier, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith also co-chaired the 41st session of the Viet Nam-Laos inter-governmental committee in Ha Noi on January 6. 

During all the meetings, the two sides reached a high consensus on orientations of bilateral cooperation in 2019 with a focus on the key pillars of politics, external affairs, defense, and security.

They concurred to increase experience sharing in building policies on stabilizing the macro economy and promoting sustainable development, and enhancing connectivity and supplementation between the two economies, especially in transport and energy.

Besides, the two nations will coordinate to improve the business and investment environment, and transport infrastructure connectivity, while creating more favorable conditions for businesses and striving to expand two-way trade by at least 10% this year.

* Deputy PM, FM Pham Binh Minh and Thailand’s FM Don Pramudwinai co-chaired the 3rd meeting of the Viet Nam-Thailand Joint Committee for bilateral cooperation in Thailand on January 24-25.

The meeting served as a platform to review bilateral cooperation in politics, national defense-security, economy, trade, investment, transport, energy, agriculture, education, and regional and international coordination among others, and discuss ways to spur their ties./.

By Kim Loan