Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (R) and Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Nong Rong, who is also Secretary General of the China - Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, at the meeting in Hanoi on February 5. (Photo: dangcongsan.vn)

Foreign Minister receives Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son received Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Nong Rong, who is also Secretary General of the China - Vietnam Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, in Hanoi on February 5.

The host expressed his delight at the sound development and historic achievements of the two countries’ relations since the visit to China by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in late October 2022 and the trip to Vietnam by Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping in December 2023.

He emphasised the importance and practicality of bilateral coordination in implementing the high-level joint statements in a strong, effective, and substantive manner for the sake of businesses, localities, and people.

Welcoming Nong’s opinions and proposals on some orientations and measures for promoting bilateral ties, the Vietnamese minister recommended the two foreign ministries continue bringing into play their role as the standing bodies of the two countries’ steering committees for bilateral cooperation, and properly carry out the two foreign ministries’ agreement on further intensifying cooperation in the new period. He asked them to focus on properly organising exchanges and meetings at all levels in 2024, boosting the connection of development strategies, and stepping up result-oriented partnerships.

Son called on China to increase importing goods and farm produce from Vietnam, coordinate to tackle problems of some joint projects, foster sustainable tourism cooperation, facilitate people-to-people exchanges and locality-to-locality ties, and maintain opinion sharing and coordination at multilateral mechanisms and forums.

For his part, Assistant Minister Nong said his working visit to Vietnam aims for in-depth and comprehensive discussion between the two foreign ministries about measures, orientations, and tasks for enhancing bilateral relations in accordance with the common perceptions reached between the countries’ leaders.

Informing his host of the outcomes of his meeting with the Secretary General of the Vietnam - China Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation on February 4, he affirmed that China wishes and is ready to join Vietnamese agencies in maintaining opinion sharing, coordinating closely, and promoting high-level strategic discussion by properly arranging bilateral visits and meetings between the countries’ Party and State leaders.

China is also ready to enhance collaboration in such fields as diplomacy, defence, and security; and continue to reinforce result-oriented cooperation in different spheres, particularly the connection of development strategies, transport infrastructure, trade facilitation, people-to-people friendship exchanges, and locality-to-locality links, he added.

With regard to sea-related issues, both sides underscored the importance of seriously implementing the agreements and common perceptions on the better control and settlement of sea-related differences reached by senior leaders of the two Parties and the two countries, fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and promoting substantive progress in the negotiations on a code of conduct (COC) in the waters.

Minister Son asked the two sides to respect each other’s legitimate interests, in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to help maintain regional peace, stability, and development.

Vietnam- Italy agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters approved

President Vo Van Thuong has signed a decision ratifying the Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between Vietnam and Italy, as recently proposed by the Government.

The ratification of the agreement is an objective requirement in the new situation, creating a direct and full legal basis for the law enforcement agencies of the two countries to cooperate in the field of mutual criminal justice assistance, while better protecting the legitimate rights and interests of each country's citizens, thereby contributing to the enhancement of the cooperative relations between the two countries' judicial agencies in particular, and between Vietnam and Italy in general.

The approval is in line with the proactive foreign policy and active, comprehensive and extensive international integration of the Vietnamese Party and State as responsible members of the international community, while materializing Vietnam's international commitments in the field of criminal justice and cooperation in the fight against crimes.

A screenshots of the Acercando Naciones newspaper (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam becomes the biggest importer of Argentine farm produce

In 2023, for the second consecutive year, Vietnam surpassed China to become the largest importer of agricultural products from Argentina in terms of volume, according to Argentine media.

The Infobae and Acercando Naciones newspapers cited the Rosario Grains Exchange (BCR) - the most important grain exchange floor of the country, as saying that Vietnam emerged as the largest importer of corn and soybean powder for animal feed last year with a combined volume of 5.3 million tonnes worth 2 billion USD.

Regarding two-way trade, Vietnam ranked seventh among the biggest trade partners of the Latin American country in the year.

Last year, the third-largest economy in Latin America exported nearly 56 million tonnes of grains and processed grain products, a decrease of over 37 million tonnes or 40% compared to 2022, marking the lowest output since 2009, primarily due to severe and prolonged drought. In 2019, Argentina set a record export volume of these items with 100.5 million tonnes.

Approximately 50% of the volume of grains, processed grain products, and processed oil from seeds produced in Argentina is sold to Asian countries. The grain output of Argentina in the 2022-2023 crop reached only 83.4 million tonnes, experiencing a decline of 38%.

This year, thanks to favorable climate conditions and abundant rainfall, Argentina anticipates an increase in grain production for the 2023-2024 crop, with corn output expected to reach a record level of 59 million tonnes. Argentina remains one of the world's largest producers and exporters of soybeans, corn, and wheat.

Vietnam’s clam exports reached nearly US$79 million last year, posting a drop of 17% compared to 2022. (Photo: VOV)

Vietnamese clam exports gross nearly US$79 million

Vietnam’s clam exports reached nearly US$79 million last year, posting a drop of 17% compared to 2022, with Spain and Italy being the two main export markets, according to statistics compiled by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

Specifically, Vietnamese export turnover of shellfish products dropped by 12% to US$127 million compared to the previous year. The country’s main exported shellfish species include clams, accounting for 62%, snails at 12%, oysters at 11%, and scallops at nearly 9%.

Clams are the mollusk product that posted the largest export turnover of roughly US$79 million, down 17% compared to 2022. This decline can be attributed to a plunge in exports to the two main markets, namely Spain and Italy with respective falls of 15% and 36%.

Meanwhile, frozen steamed clams coded HS 16055600 were the main export product, earning a turnover of US$72 million. Most notably, Vietnamese frozen steamed clams always ranked in the leading position in terms of the European market, with the products holding a dominant market share of between 40% and 80%.

The United States remained the fourth largest importer of Vietnamese clams, but recorded a drop of 16% due to fierce competition from China. Among the country’s top 10 largest clam export markets, China and Cambodia witnessed robust growth of respective increases of 34 times and 16 times compared to 2022. Oysters also witnessed breakthrough export growth of 56% with over US$14 million, mainly fresh and chilled oysters. In particular, the Taiwanese market alone consumed over 77% of Vietnamese oyster exports with a value of nearly US$11 million, up 26% compared to 2022.

Last year saw the nation export snail products worth nearly US$16 million, down 6% from the previous year with the main consumer markets, including Japan, the US, China, and the Republic of Korea. Accordingly, snail exports to most markets fell, except the Republic of Korea which saw impressive growth of 47%.

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