Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh shares about his youth in Romania

"We always appreciate and are grateful for Romania's help"

In an interview, answering a question about the current relationship between Romania and Vietnam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that the two countries have had a traditional friendship and very good cooperation for nearly 75 years; continuing to expand and develop positively.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his wife begin official visit to Romania

Romania was one of the first countries to recognize Vietnam and has given Vietnam valuable support and assistance in the past struggle for national independence and unification as well as in the current cause of construction and development. Romania has helped train about 4,000 cadres and experts for Vietnam, who are a very valuable human resource for the cause of construction and development of the country.

In addition, Romania has actively supported the process of Vietnam and the EU negotiating, signing, ratifying and implementing the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), and is one of the first two EU countries to ratify the Vietnam - EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

During the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Romania was the first EU country to provide Vietnam with a total of 300,000 doses of vaccines, helping Vietnam overcome the pandemic, open up, recover, and develop the economy .

"We always appreciate, are grateful for and never forget the timely, wholehearted and meaningful help of the Romanian Government and people," the Prime Minister shared.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that the relationship between Vietnam and Romania is also growing strongly in many fields. Two-way trade has nearly doubled, from 261 million USD in 2019 to 425 million USD in 2022. The two countries have just signed an educational cooperation program for the period 2023 - 2026. Cooperation between localities of the two countries has been promoted, people-to-people exchanges have been increasingly strengthened; more and more Romanian tourists are visiting Vietnam.

With great opportunities, potential and room for cooperation, on the basis of the existing good traditional relationship, the Prime Minister said that Vietnam wishes to work with Romania to further deepen the cooperative relationship, consolidate political trust; enhance cooperation in multilateral and regional forums; continue to create breakthroughs in trade and investment to become a pillar in bilateral relations.

At the same time, cooperation in areas where Romania has strengths and Vietnam has potential will be promoted. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that Vietnam hopes that the Romanian Government will continue to protect the legitimate rights of Vietnamese workers in Romania, create favorable conditions for the Vietnamese community to integrate, stabilize their lives and do business long-term, and become a bridge connecting the two countries.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to Romania this time is the first delegation exchange at the Prime Minister level between the two countries after 5 years.

Sharing about the Prime Minister's memories of Romania and his feelings when returning to visit this country as Prime Minister of Vietnam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that he personally always keeps deep impressions, good feelings and profound memories of the country and people of Romania.

"I will never forget my youthful years of studying and working in Romania; I will remember the faces, voices, laughter and very familiar images of Romanian teachers and friends. They have made an important contribution to helping us international students achieve what we have today," Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh shared.

The Prime Minister and former Vietnamese students always remember and appreciate the contributions of teachers, friends and Romanian people who guided and helped them during their time studying here.

"With the knowledge and expertise trained in Romania, we have been and will continue to contribute to the cause of building and defending the Fatherland of Vietnam; at the same time, actively contribute to the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries and two peoples," the Prime Minister affirmed.

The Head of Government expressed his joy and emotion when returning to Romania this time and believed that the visit would contribute to promoting, strengthening, deepening, becoming more substantive and effective in the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries, for the benefit of the two nations and peoples, for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

5 lessons learned to develop Vietnam

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also answered questions about Vietnam's successful development experience, the country's development orientations and foreign policy. The Prime Minister shared that after nearly 40 years of renovation, Vietnam has achieved great and historic achievements.

A large number of Vietnamese people in Romania welcomed the Prime Minister and his wife at the airport.

The size of the economy has increased more than 53 times, and per capita income has increased about 28 times. People's lives have improved significantly both materially and spiritually; the poverty rate has decreased from 60% in the early 1990s to 2.93% in 2023, and Vietnam has completed the millennium goals early. The human development index is among the highest among economies at the same level of development.

Vietnam is currently an important link in global and regional supply chains; one of the 20 economies with the largest trade scale in the world with a network of 16 signed free trade agreements (FTAs) and 3 FTAs ​​under negotiation.

According to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the important achievements above have many causes, and Vietnam has also drawn 5 lessons from experience.

First, firmly grasp the banner of national independence and socialism. Second, the revolutionary cause is of the people, by the people and for the people. Third, constantly consolidate and strengthen solidarity: solidarity of the entire Party, solidarity of the entire people, national solidarity and international solidarity. Solidarity is also an important fundamental factor in the support and assistance of progressive forces fighting for democracy, progress and peace in the world.

Fourth, combine national strength with the strength of the times, domestic strength with international strength. Fifth, the correct leadership of the Party is the leading factor deciding the victory of the Vietnamese revolution.

Vietnam's upcoming development goals

Regarding the country's upcoming development goals, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that the 13th Party Congress clearly defined the goal of striving for Vietnam to become a developing country with modern industry by 2025, surpassing the low-middle income level.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis in September 2023

By 2030, it will be a developing country with modern industry and high average income, and by 2045, it will be a developed country with high income.

To achieve the above strategic goals, the Prime Minister said, Vietnam focuses on building the foundations for rapid and sustainable development. At the same time, it will promote the implementation of three strategic breakthroughs in institutional improvement, human resource development and the construction of a synchronous and modern infrastructure system.

Building an independent and self-reliant economy associated with active and proactive international economic integration, deeply, practically and effectively. At the same time, Vietnam focuses on implementing major policies and decisions in all areas in the short, medium and long term.

Economically, continue to prioritize promoting growth associated with maintaining macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation, and ensuring major economic balances.

Focus on renewing traditional growth drivers such as investment, consumption, and export; at the same time, strongly promote new growth drivers such as digital economy, green economy, circular economy, emerging industries and fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductor chips, hydrogen, etc.

Regarding culture, society, and environment, develop Vietnamese people comprehensively and build an advanced culture imbued with national identity to truly become an endogenous strength, a driving force for national development and protection of the Fatherland.

Regarding national defense and security, we must maximize the combined strength of the entire nation combined with the strength of the times to firmly protect the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland; and maintain a peaceful and stable environment for national development.

Promote decentralization and delegation of power; strengthen discipline and order; promote the prevention and fight against corruption, negativity and waste, contributing to strengthening people's trust.

Regarding foreign affairs, Vietnam has consistently pursued a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, diversification, and being a good friend, a reliable partner, and an active and responsible member of the international community. According to the Prime Minister, in practice, this is a very correct and timely policy of Vietnam, contributing to helping the country overcome difficulties and challenges, and achieve great and historic achievements.

"Put the past behind, look to the future"

Answering a question about the relationship between Vietnam and major countries, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that, with the spirit of "putting aside the past, respecting differences, promoting similarities, and looking towards the future", Vietnam has turned enemies into friends, transformed confrontation into dialogue, and become a model of healing and rising up after the war with open, comprehensive foreign relations and deep, substantive, and effective international integration.

The Prime Minister said that to achieve the above important achievements, first of all, it is thanks to Vietnam's correct foreign policy and guidelines on the basis of closely following the practical situation, inheriting and promoting Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic thought and strongly promoting the diplomatic identity of "Vietnamese bamboo: firm roots, strong trunk, flexible branches".

Along with that, the achievements in socio-economic development, socio-political stability, firmly ensuring national defense and security and persevering in the "four no's" defense policy have contributed to Vietnam's current international position and prestige.

"We wish to join hands with countries, peoples, and the international community to continue to proactively, positively, and effectively contribute to preserving a peaceful, stable, and favorable environment for rapid and sustainable development, together creating and promoting new driving forces for growth, and joining hands to respond to common global challenges," the Prime Minister affirmed.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/thu-tuong-pham-minh-chinh-chia-se-ve-nhung-nam-thang-tuoi-tre-tai-romania-185240120220500949.htm