Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

At the meeting, the two leaders affirmed their appreciation for the traditional friendship and long-standing ties between the two countries; exchanged measures to realize the vision of developing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, emphasizing the importance of high-level exchanges, contacts and substantive and effective cooperation in all fields.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh congratulated India on its achievements under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, especially its impressive economic growth, increasingly advanced science and technology, and its increasingly important role and position in the region and the world. Affirming that Vietnam and India share many similar strategic interests, the Prime Minister suggested that the two sides continue to strengthen multifaceted cooperation, prioritizing the promotion of political and diplomatic relations, cooperation in areas of mutual interest such as trade - investment, services, finance - banking, tourism, science and technology, innovation, and strengthening coordination in response to common challenges in the context of a world with many crises and uncertainties.

Indian Prime Minister Modi expressed his pleasure at meeting Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh again, affirming that Vietnam is one of the leading strategic partners in the Indo- Pacific Strategy and India's "Act East" policy; thanked Vietnam for attending the Southern Forum to jointly enhance the role and voice of developing countries; and said that bilateral trade relations have developed very positively in recent times with a turnover reaching nearly 15 billion USD in 2022.

Regarding the future direction, Prime Minister Modi said that economic and trade cooperation continues to be an important pillar in bilateral relations. The two leaders also discussed a number of specific measures and directions to facilitate businesses of each country to access the market and invest in business, exploiting the potential and good cooperative relations between the two countries.

The two sides agreed to continue promoting and developing consultation and dialogue mechanisms, expanding cooperation in areas where both sides have complementary advantages, closely coordinating, sharing stances and viewpoints on international and regional issues of mutual concern and at international and regional forums, especially at the United Nations as well as at mechanisms led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and within the framework of Mekong-Ganga cooperation.

The two Prime Ministers affirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, upholding international law, and calling on parties to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and soon complete a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); creating conditions for resolving disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means.

Prime Minister Modi cordially invited Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to visit India at a convenient time this year and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh happily accepted the invitation.

* On May 20, on the occasion of attending the expanded G7 Summit and working session in Japan, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Mr. Mathias Cormann, Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highly appreciated the good cooperation between Vietnam and OECD, especially the success of the Southeast Asia Programme Ministerial Meeting in October 2022 in Hanoi; and thanked OECD for its technical support and policy advice to Vietnam.

The Prime Minister suggested that the two sides continue to promote cooperation, first of all, prepare well for the 2023 Southeast Asia Programme Ministerial Meeting; and hope that the OECD will create conditions for many Vietnamese coordinators to work at the Secretariat.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that Vietnam is a developing country, an economy in transition, with a large economic openness, so its ability to withstand external shocks is limited. He hoped that OECD would support the implementation and adaptation to new areas that require new thinking and approaches in the future, especially issues of global minimum tax, energy security, food security, climate change, knowledge economy, circular economy, etc.

The OECD Secretary-General congratulated Vietnam on its achievements in economic reform and transformation, and thanked Vietnam for its positive contributions and key role in the Southeast Asia Regional Programme. The Secretary-General expressed his impression of Vietnam's international role with the invitation to attend the G7 Summit and the upcoming OECD Ministerial Council Meeting in June 2023.

The OECD Secretary General pledged to continue promoting exchanges and cooperation with Vietnam, supporting Vietnam in economic recovery and development, especially in areas of interest to Vietnam, including building investment policies adapted to global minimum taxes, green and circular economies, etc. Mr. Mathias Cormann hopes that Vietnam will participate in the Initiative for Carbon Reduction Methods (IFCMA) to contribute to building a standard, comprehensive approach to carbon reduction at the global level.

News and photos: VNA

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