Earlier, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung presided over an official welcome ceremony for Prime Minister Haas, who is on an official visit to Vietnam from October 17 to 19.
PM Hung highlighted the significance of the Vietnam–European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Free Trade Agreement, which was negotiated over 14 years and 21 rounds of talks. He said the signing of the agreement is expected to open a promising new chapter in relations, contributing to the shared prosperity of Vietnam and EFTA member states while strengthening peace, stability and cooperation in the region and around the world.
The Vietnamese Prime Minister also welcomed Liechtenstein’s active role at the United Nations in promoting multilateralism, free trade and efforts to address global challenges in accordance with international law.
Mr. Hung proposed making finance a new pillar of bilateral relations, calling on Liechtenstein to share its expertise in investment funds, banking, green finance, green capital markets, international asset management, and legal frameworks for the digital economy, blockchain and the tokenization of real-world assets. He also encouraged Liechtenstein's financial institutions and investors to explore opportunities in Vietnam's international financial centres and capital markets.
The Vietnamese leader called for stronger links between regulatory agencies, research institutes, universities and businesses in the two countries, with a focus on joint research, technology transfer and high-quality workforce development in Vietnam.
Prime Minister Brigitte Haas described her visit as the first official visit by the Liechtenstein government to Vietnam, marking a historic milestone in building and consolidating lasting diplomatic relations between the two countries.
She said the visit would provide fresh momentum for broader cooperation, helping bilateral ties become more substantive and effective.
The two prime ministers agreed to explore specific cooperation mechanisms in finance, science and technology, innovation, and high-tech manufacturing and pledged to coordinate and support each other at the United Nations and other multilateral forums of which both countries are members.
Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a double taxation avoidance agreement between Vietnam and Liechtenstein.
Located in Europe, Liechtenstein is a small country with a population of just over 40,000. Despite its size, it ranks among the world's highest-income economies in terms of per capita income. Its key strengths include high-tech manufacturing, financial services, banking and innovation.
