Government leader welcomes Chilean, Canadian diplomats

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Chilean Ambassador Jaime Chomali Garib (Photo: VNA)

Meeting with Chilean Ambassador Jaime Chomali Garib, PM Phuc said Vietnam and Chile boast substantial potential for broader cooperation in trade links while calling the two nations’ ministries, agencies and businesses to carefully study other’s markets.

Regarding Chile’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in 2019, PM Phuc affirmed Vietnam’s willingness to support the country in organizing the event and asked Chile to arrange bilateral meetings as part of the forum.

Vietnam desires to maintain the operation of the free trade council mechanism so as to capitalize on cooperation opportunities, he said, noting that the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which has become effective, would help push up countries’ deeper participation in the global value chain.

Jaime Chomali Garib, in turn, applauded the vigorous growth of the Vietnam-Chile relationship, especially after they have become APEC members.

With its external policy focusing on Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia, Chile is destined to become a partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he said, calling for Vietnam’s support in this regard.

The diplomat also voiced his hope that Vietnam will engage in the international conference on climate change to be hosted by Chile this year.

He also noted with satisfaction great progress in bilateral trade since both nations signed the free trade agreement in 2011, adding that his nation wishes to cooperate with Vietnam in startup and space projects.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosts Canadian Ambassador Deborah Anne Paul (L) (Photo: VNA)

Meeting with Canadian Ambassador Deborah Anne Paul, PM Phuc said the relationship between Vietnam and Canada is at its best time across multiple fields, from economics to national defence and security.

He asked the diplomat to exert more efforts to enhance the bilateral trade as well as the Canadian side to arrange more trips to Vietnam for Canadian enterprises to study the market.

In reply, the Canadian Ambassador said her nation is ready to support Vietnam in assuming the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020, adding that both sides will launch a broad range of activities marking the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year.

The two sides have shared common viewpoints on multilateral trade institutions and placed priority on trade and investment, she told her host.

The same day, Chairman of the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung also gave a reception to the Canadian Ambassador.

Chung said he hopes that Ambassador Paul would serve as a bridge linking Canada to Vietnam, as well as Hanoi in particular, in the new era.

He said the ratification of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) presents both opportunities and challenges to Hanoi.

Local authorities have worked out a plan for administrative reform, economic restructuring, and macro-economic stability to ensure the development of the business community to facilitate cultural, goods, and trade exchange.

The Canadian diplomat said the establishment of the Canada-Vietnam comprehensive cooperative partnership has deepened ties between the two nations' people.

She said her nation will dispatch a delegation to Vietnam in the time ahead to assess the impacts, opportunities, and challenges of the CPTPP, and step up cooperation in fields of Hanoi’ demand, such as human resources training, information, communications, and clean technology.

VNF ( VOV )