(VOVworld) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh hosted a reception on Tuesday for the new ambassador and head of the EU delegation to Vietnam Bruno Angelet. Minh asked the ambassador to lobby for the EU’s ratification of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with VN in 2016, early signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, and recognition of Vietnam’s market economy status. He also called on the EU to support businesses in making the most of the EU-Vietnam FTA.

Ambassador Angelet said the EU’s foreign policy highly values Vietnam and wants Vietnam to help it increase its presence in the Asia-Pacific region as well as promote its cooperation with ASEAN.