He made the appeal during talks with Kaja Kallas, Vice President of the European Commission and the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on the sidelines of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and related meetings in Manila, the Philippines.
Mr. Trung reaffirmed Vietnam's commitment to combatting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and said Vietnam strictly complies with international standards and is working closely with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in its assessment of transparency and the exchange of tax information.
He called on the EU to recognize Vietnam's efforts and progress, and to remove Vietnam from its list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes at the earliest possible review. The Minister urged the EU to encourage member states to ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) as soon as possible.
Both sides praised the positive momentum in Vietnam-EU relations and agreed to make the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership deeper, more substantive, and more effective.
Mr. Trung said Vietnam places great importance on protecting and promoting human rights, and puts people at the center of its development strategy. He highlighted Vietnam’s achievements in socio-economic development, poverty reduction, expanded access to education and healthcare, social security, gender equality, and improving living standards.
The Minister said discussions on remaining differences should be conducted in a spirit of mutual respect, sincerity, and constructive dialogue, recognizing each side's historical circumstances, development conditions, and policy choices, and objectively acknowledging their respective efforts and achievements.
