Review on external affairs from April 17-23: Czech PM’s visit to Vietnam, strengthen Vietnam-Cuba special ties, citizen protection in Sudan
WVR - Review on a number of news headlines on external affairs from April 17-23 by The World and Vietnam Report.
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| National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz. (Photo: VNA) |
Leaders’ activities
On April 20, receiving member of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and Head of its Commission for External Relations Thongsavanh Phomvihane, President Vo Van Thuong expressed his belief that the visit will contribute to strengthening cooperation between the Commissions for External Relations of the two Parties, thus raising the efficiency of comprehensive collaboration between the two Parties and countries in the time ahead.
In the meeting with Thongsavanh Phomvihane, Politburo member and permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Truong Thi Mai emphasised the advisory role of the two Commissions for External Relations to the Communist Party of Vietnam and the LPRP in terms of foreign policies and cooperation between the two Parties and countries in all areas and in the international arena.
On April 18, President Vo Van Thuong handed over the decision appointing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the State Committee on Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Pham Quang Hieu as Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan and the Republic of Marshall Islands for the term 2023-2026.
On April 18, President Vo Van Thuong received the Ambassadors of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sri Lanka and Chile to Vietnam who came to present their credentials. Welcoming UAE Ambassador Bader Almatrooshi, President Thuong extended his best wishes to the diplomat during the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims. He expressed his hope that the UAE Ambassador will act as a bridge boosting the two countries’ relations. At his reception for Sri Lankan Ambassador Sajeewa Umanga Mendis, President Thuong affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to developing its traditional friendship and multifaceted collaboration with Sri Lanka. Receiving Chilean Ambassador Sergio Narea Guzman, the President expressed his delight at the development of the Vietnam-Chile relations through the regular exchange of delegations and people-to-people diplomacy.
On April 17, President Vo Van Thuong hosted a reception for ASEAN Ambassadors who came to congratulate him on being elected as the Vietnamese State leader.
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| President Vo Van Thuong hosts ASEAN Ambassadors on April 17, 2023. (Photo: VNA) |
During his official visit to Vietnam from April 20-22, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala held talks with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and witnessed the signing of cooperation documents between the two countries, paid a courtesy call to President Vo Van Thuong. The Czech Prime Minister also attended the Vietnam-Czech Business Forum; lay wreaths and paid tribunes to President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Monument to Heroes and Martyrs, visitet Quang Ninh province... During the talks and meetings, both sides affirmed their wish to promote the traditional friendship and bilateral cooperation between the two countries which have spanned more than seven decades. It is the first visit of the Head of the Czech Government to Vietnam in the past 15 years.
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| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala held talks in Hanoi, on April 21, 2023. (Photo: WVR/Tuan Anh) |
On April 19, receiving US Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh suggested the US side strengthen cooperation and support in building an ecological agriculture, modern rural areas and civilised farmers while improving the added value of agricultural products to bring benefits to consumers and the two economies, thus contributing to the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership. He urged the US to further open its market for Vietnamese farm produce, complete necessary procedures to open the market for Vietnamese products; limit the use of unnecessary technical barriers and tools in agricultural trade with Vietnam; assist Vietnam in planning and developing raw material areas and meeting US standards for food safety and hygiene.
On April 19, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Belarusian Minister of Emergencies Vadim Sinyavsky who was on the working visit at the invitation of Minister of Public Security General To Lam.
On April 17, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Jim Yong Kim, former President of the World Bank and Vice Chairman and Partner at the Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP). The Government leader hoped that in his new position, Mr. Jim Yong Kim will continue to support Vietnam in accessing international financial resources and promoting high-quality investment projects, especially in obtaining capital sources from such funds as the GIP.
On April 17, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Australian Minister of Trade and Tourism Don Farrell who was on a working visit in Vietnam to co-chair the third Vietnam-Australia Economic Partnership Meeting. Vietnam and Australia need to develop bilateral trade in a more balanced way by promoting the export of Vietnamese products to Australia, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said.
On April 17, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomed the first visit to Vietnam by Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Alexander Schallenberg. Prime Minister Chinh hailed the outcomes of the earlier talks between Foreign Minister Schallenberg and Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, as well as a Vietnam-Austria Cooperation Forum with the participation of the two countries’ businesses the same day. The Vietnamese Prime Minister underlined the need to step up bilateral cooperation in areas that both sides have strength and demand, such as sci-tech, infrastructure, labour, vocational training, digital transformation, circular economy and green transition.
On April 18, Standing Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man expressed his delight at the development of Vietnam-Austria ties during the reception for Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Alexander Schallenberg. NA Vice Chairman said both sides have maintained the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially those at high level. He expressed his belief that the visit by the Austrian Minister and his entourage of representatives of over 20 major Austrian enterprises will create a new driving force for the bilateral relations in various areas, particularly in economy, trade and investment.
From April 18-28, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue pays an official visit to Cuba, Argentina and Uruguay. The visits are made at the invitations of President of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernandez, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Argentina Cecilia Moreau, and Speaker of the Senate of Uruguay Beatriz Argimon Cedeira. This is the first high-level visit of Vietnamese leader to Latin America in 2023.
During the official visit to Cuba, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue held talks and meetings with senior leaders of the Cuban Party and State; delivered an speech at a special plenary session of the 10th National Assembly of the People’s Power of Cuba and a celebration of the 62nd anniversary of the Giron Victory at the Havana Convention Palace; attend Vietnam - Cuba Business Forum; visited the Embassy, met the Vietnamese community in Cuba and witnessed the cooperation agreement ceremony of ministries, branches and localities as well as attended a number of economic, cultural and educational activities... The brotherhood, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, loyalty and solidarity between Vietnam and Cuba will last forever, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue has stated.
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| NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue meets First Secretary and President of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel in Havana on April 20 (local time). (Photo: VNA) |
From April 13-18, Politburo member and Head of the Party Central Committee's Economic Commission Tran Tuan Anh led a delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) paid a working visit to Japan. The Vietnamese official paid courtesy visits to Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Toshimitsu Motegi, Chairman of Japanese Communist Party Kazuo Shii, Secretary-General of LDP in the House of Councillors Hiroshige Seko, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura. He also had meetings with representatives of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), as well as officials of Hokkaido prefecture.
On April 17, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha received Mr. Chris Taylor, Special Envoy for Climate Change of the United Kingdom and Mr. Tibor Stelbaczky, Principal Advisor on Energy Diplomacy of the European Union (EU).
On April 21, Head of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung and Head of the Commission for External Relations of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee Thongsavanh Phomvihane held talks in Hanoi, on the occasion of the latter's visit for a friendship exchange under a cooperation agreement between the two Commissions from April 20-24, 2023.
Activities of the Foreign Minister
On April 17, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son welcomed and held talks with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg during his official visit to Vietnam. Foreign Minister Son suggested that both sides should work closely together, fully and effectively tap the benefits of the Europe-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). He also encouraged Austrian businesses to increase investments in Vietnam, particularly in areas of their strength such as infrastructure, renewable energy, new technology and semiconductor production. The Foreign Minister proposed Austria soon complete the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and push forward the European Commission (EC)’s early removal of yellow card warning on Vietnam’s aquatic products.
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| Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in Hanoi, on April 17, 2023. (Photo: WVR/Tuan Anh) |
On April 17, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son held online talks with Mozambican Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Veronica Macamo Dlhovo. Foreign Minister Son spoke highly of the positive development of multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Mozambique over the past years, notably the online high-level talks between Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President of the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) Party and President of Mozambique Filipe Nyusi, and the Vietnam visit by President of the Mozambican Assembly Esperanca Bias in June 2022. The Vietnamese Foreign Minister suggested that both sides should adopt measures to promote bilateral relations, such as facilitating the exchange of delegations at all levels, actively sharing experience and offering mutual support at multilateral forums, especially at a time when Mozambique is assuming the role of a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2023-2024 tenure.
On April 20, Minister Bui Thanh Son extended his condolences to Phillipine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo over the passing of Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario
Bilateral activities
In an interview granted to the Vietnamese media on the threshold of the visit, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Le Thanh Tung affirmed official visit to Cuba from April 18-23 by National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue will have important contributions to strengthening, consolidating, expanding and deepening the bilateral relations in all fields.
Cuba Ambassador to Vietnam Orlando Nicolás Hernández Guillén stated that the official visit to Cuba by National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue holds great significance as it will help further strengthen the two countries’ relations in multiple spheres as well as the ties between the two parliaments.
On the occasion of Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue's visit to Argentina, Argentina Ambassador to Vietnam Luis Pablo Maria Beltramino shared with the World & Vietnam Report the significance of the visit. Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina concurrently Uruguay Duong Quoc Thanh said that the visit is very important, creating a new impetus for the comprehensive relationship between Vietnam and these two South American countries.
On the occasion of the official visit to Vietnam by Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala from April 20-22, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Thai Xuan Dung affirmed that the visit is of great significance as the two sides are determined to promote bilateral relations to a new heights, particularly in economy-trade-investment and defence.
In an interview with the World and Vietnam Report on the occasion of the official visit of Czech Prime Minister to Vietnam from April 20-24, Czech Ambassador to Vietnam Hynek Kmonícek shared the significance of the visit to further enhance the friendship and cooperation between the two nations.
On April 18, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cao Bang Provincial People's Committee co-chaired the Workshop to discuss the pilot opening of the landscape site of Ban Gioc (Vietnam) - Detian (China) Waterfalls for tourism. Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu, Head of the National Border Committee, underlined the importance of the site opening, which will help Cao Bang tap into tourism potential to boost economic, cultural, and social development as well as cross-border exchanges. It is a task of not only Cao Bang but also ministries, sectors, and central agencies to help realize Vietnam and China’s determination to build a borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development, he noted.
On April 20, in Sydney, the seminar "Promoting cooperation between Vietnam and Australia - Focus: Bac Lieu and Ha Nam". The event is part of the Vietnam Local Promotion Program in Australia organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Australia (1973-2023) to support Vietnamese localities to promote investment trade, culture and tourism in Australia.
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| Representatives of Bac Lieu and Ha Nam provinces and Western Australia's Minister of Mines and Petroleum, Energy, Services and Industry. (Photo: WVR) |
Multilateral activities
On April 19, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Vietnam’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) affirmed that energy transition, environmental protection and climate change response are the inevitable paths to achieving sustainable development. Ambassador Giang made the statement at the conference themed "Architecting Financing for the Energy Transition in Asia and the Pacific – Lessons from Indonesia’s and Vietnam’s Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs)", a side event of the 2023 UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Forum on Financing for Development. Co-organised by the Permanent Missions of Vietnam and Indonesia and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the conference has the participation of nearly 80 delegates from countries, the private sector, and UN organisations.
On April 19, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang was addressing the launching ceremony of the World Disasters Report 2022, themed “Trust, equality and local action – Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic to avert the next global crisis” in New York. The report was jointly introduced by the Vietnamese and Australian Permanent Missions to the UN, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Participants at the event hailed the efforts of Vietnam, Australia and the IFRC, holding that recommendations in the report are helpful for UN member states in engaging in and promoting major process this year, especially the mid-term review of the Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response.
On April 18, Ambassador Le Thi Hong Van, Head of Vietnam’s Delegation to UNESCO gave an interview on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2003 (April 18, 2003-2023). Looking back on the last 20 years, the Vietnamese Ambassador to UNESCO stressed that Vietnam can be proud of its achievements and active contributions to the implementation of this treaty, not only at the national but also global level.
Chief of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Section of UNESCO and Secretary of the 2003 Convention Tim Curtis said that Vietnam has played an active role in implementing the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003 Convention) in both international and national scales.
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
On April 20, at the Ministry’s regular press conference, Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Doan Khac Viet updated situation of Vietnamese people in Sudan and citizen protection activities; informed the suspension of the auction of some Vietnamese royal ordination documents by competent agencies of Shanghai as Vietnam and China are members of the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property; and Vietnam's objection to China’s unilateral East Sea fishing ban.
Amid the escalating conflict in Sudan, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has instructed the Vietnamese Embassy in Egypt and Sudan to continue closely monitoring the situation, and stay ready to deploy necessary protection measures to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese citizens.
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