Portugal’s Parliament leader supports Vietnam-EU ties
(VOVworld) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has called for more mutual support in socioeconomic development and delegation exchanges with Portugal. During a Wednesday meeting in Lisbon between the Prime Minister and Portuguese Assembly President Maria da Assuncão, Ms Maria said Portugal’s Assembly will work with the European Parliament for an early ratification of the EU-Vietnam Partnership Co-operation framework agreement. She said Portugal supports an early conclusion of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and the EU’s recognition of Vietnam’s market economy.
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| Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (L) shakes hands with Portugal’s Assembly President Maria da Assuncão in Lisbon, June 3, 2015. (Photo: VGP) |
The same day, Mr Dung and Portugal’s Deputy Prime Minister Paulo Portas attended a Vietnam-Portugal business dialogue. Addressing the meeting, Mr Dung highlighted Vietnam’s recent socioeconomic achievements, including an annual growth of 7.5 per cent in the 1991-2010 periods. More than 101 nations and territories have been investing in Vietnam and more than 100 multi-national corporations are operating in Vietnam. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung comments on Vietnam-Portugal bilateral ties: “I had successful talks with Portugal’s President and Prime Minister. We agreed that both sides’ cooperation has achieved positive results over the past 40 years and bilateral cooperative opportunities remain abundant for both countries’ development, especially in economics, trade, and investment. The two sides believed that with existing fine bilateral relations and recently signed legal frameworks, Vietnam and Portugal can speed up efforts to increase bilateral two-way trade turnover to 1 billion USD in the coming time from 350 million USD in 2014.
Prime Minister Dung said Vietnam pledges best possible conditions for Portuguese businesses to invest in Vietnam.