(VOVworld) – President Tran Dai Quang received former Chilean President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle in Hanoi on Thursday. Mr. Quang said Chile was the first country in the western hemisphere to sign a bilateral free trade agreement with Vietnam, and also one of the first countries to recognize Vietnam’s full market economy.

President Tran Dai Quang receives for Chilean President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle

President Quang suggested the two sides speed up the early ratification and enforcement of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP) and provide favourable conditions for their businesses to access each other’s market as well as the greater market in Southeast Asia and Latin America.

He asked Chile to back the Vietnamese candidate for the post of Director General of UNESCO for the 2017-2021 tenure.

Regarding issues related to maritime and aviation freedom in the region, President Quang reiterated Vietnam’s stance of settling  disputes by peaceful measures without the use of or threat to use force with full respect for diplomatic and legal process in line with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The former Chilean President said that Chile supports the peaceful settlement of disputes in adherence to international law.