(VOVworld) – Vietnam always treasures its traditional friendship with Belarus and wants to boost economic and trade ties as well as multifaceted cooperation with the country to match each nation’s potential. During talks in Minsk on Wednesday, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko agreed to increase high-level exchanges and contacts and boost ties between the two States, Parliaments, governments, political parties, social organizations, and people-to-people exchanges. Vietnam and Belarus hope to learn from each other’s experiences in leadership and state management to promote mutual understanding and political trust.
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| Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Vietnamese delegates meet with Belarusian President. (Photo: VOV) |
As a member of the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, Belarus pledged to accelerate negotiations for an early adoption of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the Customs Union. It will facilitate the entry of Vietnamese goods into the local market, especially agricultural products, seafood, wood products, garments, textiles, and coffee. Both stressed the importance of cooperation in economics, trade, and investment, considering it the main pillar of bilateral relations. They promised favorable conditions for both countries’ businesses to seek cooperation opportunities in various areas including information and telecommunications. Lukashenko vowed to expand training for Vietnamese military officers and in other fields.
The two leaders also consented to step up cooperation in education, culture, sports, tourism, counter-terrorism, fighting trans-national crime, and vocational training. Vietnam and Belarus will hasten the implementation of their agreements in those fields. Cooperation in vocational training will also receive due attention.
Mr. Trong urged Belarus to create more favorable conditions for Vietnamese people there to invest in the local economy to build a strong community in the host country towards helping to develop Belarus’ economy and promoting the bilateral friendship.
Trong and Lukashenko were unanimous on increasing affiliation and sharing information through existing bilateral channels and multilateral forums.
The two voiced their concern over recent developments in the East Sea and expressed their hope that the parties involved will resolve their disputes peacefully in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), toward adopting a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), in order to ensure peace, safety, and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.
President Lukashenko told reporters after the meeting: “In the future, we need to strengthen investment cooperation, establish joint ventures, and invest in construction and infrastructure development projects. We will also sign a Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and countries in the Customs Union. Belarus and Vietnam will maintain regular political contacts at all levels. I’m glad to accept Party leader Trong’s invitation to soon make an official visit to Vietnam. We will work on agreements and major projects to pave the way for further cooperation between the two countries and to prepare for this visit.”
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| Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko co-chair a press conference after their meeting. (Photo: VOV) |
In reply, Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong highlighted the two countries’ similarities and cooperation potential. He said: “We agreed to facilitate our business communities and investors to strengthen cooperation and assist trade promotion organizations to increase market penetration to boost bilateral trade and investment ties. I believe that this visit will mark an important milestone in strengthening the bilateral traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Belarus. On behalf of the Vietnamese Party, and State, I would like to express our thanks to Belarus’ leaders and people for their support for Vietnam during our resistance wars for national liberation and reunification in the past and our current national development and defense. The Vietnamese Party and government always consider the development of relations with Belarus as a high priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy.”
On Wednesday, the Party leader met Vietnamese people living in Belarus. He reiterated Vietnam’s consistent viewpoint that overseas Vietnamese are an indispensable part of the Vietnamese nation and that they are always given favorable conditions to integrate into their host countries and contribute to Vietnam’s development. Mr. Trong called on Vietnamese people in Belarus to intensify solidarity, preserve traditional Vietnamese culture, and tighten links between Vietnam and Belarus.
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| Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong meets with Vietnamese people living in Belarus.(Photo: VOV) |
He urged embassy staff to continue helping local Vietnamese and contributing to the development of bilateral ties.
Earlier, Trong laid a wreath at the Monument to Victory in Minsk city.
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| Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong lays a wreath at the Monument to Victory in Minsk city. (Photo: VOV) |