Prime Minister Le Minh Hung welcomes Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman
WVR - On the afternoon of May 18, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung received Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia Gordan Grlić Radman, on the occasion of his official visit to Vietnam. Attending the meeting were leaders from the Government Office and the Ministries of National Defense, Public Security, Foreign Affairs, and Industry and Trade.
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| Prime Minister Le Minh Hung receives Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, Gordan Grlić Radman. (Source: VGP) |
Welcoming Minister Gordan Grlić Radman on his official visit to Vietnam, accompanied by a delegation of leading Croatian businesses, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung emphasized the significant importance of the visit, contributing to promoting the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Croatia, making it increasingly substantial and effective.
Congratulating Croatia on its socio-economic development achievements in recent times, especially its successful accession to the Eurozone and the Schengen Area in 2023, the Prime Minister appreciated Croatia's growing role and position within the European Union and Central and Eastern Europe. He affirmed that Vietnam always values strengthening and developing relations with traditional European friends, including Croatia.
The Prime Minister suggested that both sides enhance delegation exchanges at all levels, especially high-level ones, and promote cooperation between ministries, sectors, localities, and businesses of the two countries, thereby deepening political trust and creating new momentum for bilateral cooperation.
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| Prime Minister Le Minh Hung urges Croatia to continue playing a positive role in the EU, encouraging remaining member states to promptly ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). (Source: VGP) |
Based on sound relations between the two countries and the significant potential for cooperation, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung proposed that both sides make substantial progress in economic, trade, and investment cooperation. He urged efforts to double the current bilateral trade turnover of 161 million USD, explore the establishment of a Joint Committee on Economic Cooperation to create a framework for long-term, stable, and effective cooperation, and encourage Croatian businesses to invest in areas where Croatia has strengths and Vietnam has needs, such as seaports, logistics, renewable energy, tourism, science and technology, digital transformation, innovation, and climate change response.
The Prime Minister urged Croatia to continue playing a positive role in the EU, encouraging remaining member states to promptly ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), contributing to breakthroughs in trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and the EU in general, and Vietnam and Croatia in particular. He also called for support for the European Commission (EC) to soon lift the "yellow card" on Vietnam's seafood exports, in line with Vietnam's serious and determined efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Expressing thanks to Prime Minister Le Minh Hung for the meeting, Mr. Gordan Grlić Radman conveyed his joy and honour at visiting Vietnam for the first time as the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, coinciding with the 136th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birth, emphasizing that he represents the dignity and conscience of humanity.
Congratulating Vietnam on its outstanding socio-economic development, foreign relations, and international integration achievements in recent times, Minister Gordan Grlić Radman affirmed that Croatia values its traditional friendship with Vietnam and recognizes Vietnam's crucial role in maintaining and strengthening peace, security, and cooperation in the region.
Highlighting Vietnam as one of Croatia's most important partners in Southeast Asia, Minister Gordan Grlić Radman expressed a desire for the two countries to enhance more substantial and effective cooperation, especially in the fields of economy, trade, investment, defense-security, science and technology, education and training, energy, seaports, tourism, logistics, and business connectivity between the two countries.
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| Minister Gordan Grlić Radman stated that Croatia highly appreciates Vietnam's increasingly important role in the Asia-Pacific region, within ASEAN, and in the global supply chain. (Source: VGP) |
Minister Gordan Grlić Radman expressed gratitude and strong agreement with the cooperation directions proposed by Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, affirming that Croatia is ready to collaborate with Vietnam to effectively implement bilateral cooperation mechanisms, enhance delegation exchanges, promote political consultations, support business connectivity, and expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
The Minister noted that Croatia highly appreciates Vietnam's increasingly important role in the Asia-Pacific region, within ASEAN, and in the global supply chain. He affirmed that Croatia will continue to support strengthening Vietnam-EU relations, including promoting the effective implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), encouraging remaining countries to promptly ratify EVIPA, and expanding cooperation in new areas aligned with the development priorities of the Vietnam-EU Strategic Partnership. He also expressed a desire for both sides to continue close coordination at multilateral forums, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
