Review on external affairs from April 25- May 1: Visit by Japanese Prime Minister; deepening Viet Nam-Laos special relationship
Review on a number of news headlines external affairs from April 25- May 1 by The World and Viet Nam Report.
Latest
 |
| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) and visiting Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio inspect the guards of honour at the welcome ceremony. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
Leaders’ activities
On the morning of May 1, at the Presidential Palace, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted the official welcome ceremony for Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio. This is Mr. Kishida Fumio's first visit to Viet Nam as Prime Minister of Japan since taking office (October 2021).
The visit will create a strong impetus to further deepen the extensive strategic partnership with Viet Nam as well as strengthen the personally close relationship between Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Vietnamese leaders, thus contributing to enhancing political trust between the two countries on the basis of affection, sincerity and trust.
Lao Vice President Pany Yathotou had a successful official visit to Viet Nam (April 25-27). During the visit, Vice President Pany Yathotou met with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue, held talks with Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan...
Activities of the Foreign Affairs Minister
At the invitation of Lao Foreign Minister Saleumsay Kommasith and implementing the Cooperation Agreement between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Laos, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son paid an official visit to Laos from April 27-29, co-chaired the 9th Viet Nam-Laos foreign ministerial Consultation Meeting. During the visit, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son paid a courtesy call to the Lao leaders and visited the Embassy of Viet Nam in Laos.
 |
| Lao Foreign Minister Saleumsay Kommasith welcomes Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son in Vientiane, Laos. |
Bilateral activities
On the afternoon of April 29, in Ha Noi, Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc received Mr. Viengxay Phommachanh, Consul General of Laos in Da Nang, who went to say goodbye at the end of his term in Viet Nam.
On April 28, Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu on behalf of the Government of Viet Nam and Ambassador of Oman in Ha Noi, Mr. Saleh Mohamed Ahmed Al Suqri, on behalf of the Government of the Kingdom of Oman signed an Agreement on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, special and official passports.
On the occasion of official visits by Vice President of Lao PDR Pany Yathotou to Viet Nam (April 25-27) and by Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son to Laos (April 27-29), Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung elaborated on the significance of the high-level visits at the mean time while reviewing the solidarity, unique features of and comprehensive cooperation in the Viet Nam-Laos special relationship.
A Joint Communiqué announcing the establishment of diplomatic ties between Viet Nam and Cook Islands was signed in Wellington, New Zealand on April 26, by Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand Nguyen Van Trung, who is on behalf of the Government of Viet Nam, and Elizabeth Wright-Koteka, Cook Islands High Commissioner to New Zealand, who is on behalf of the Government of the Cook Islands the Cook Islands.
Multilateral activities
On April 29, at the United Nations Headquarters (UN), the 76th General Assembly held a plenary session to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) (April 30, 1982-April 30, 2022). Speaking at the meeting, representing 12 founding member countries of the Group of Friends of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (GoF UNCLOS), Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to the United Nations, said that the adoption of UNCLOS 40 years ago with broad support marks an important milestone in the long history of the development of international law of the sea in particular and the orderly and sustainable use of the oceans in general.
 |
| Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to the UN. (Photo: VNA) |
Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang emphasized that international solidarity and cooperation are prerequisites to ensure financing for development at the Finance for Development Forum taking place from April 25-28, at the United Nations headquarters to discuss measures to secure financing for development and implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
On April 28, the third meeting of the Joint Committee to implement the Partnership and Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement (PCA) was held in Ha Noi. The meeting was co-chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc and Director General of the Asia-Pacific Department of the EU External Affairs Service Gunnar Wiegand.
On April 26, Ambassador Vu Ho, Acting Head of SOM ASEAN Viet Nam led the Vietnamese delegation to attend the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) and the 12th Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group (ACCWG) on Timor Leste's application to join ASEAN.
The Vietnamese delegation led by Ambassador Nguyen Trung Kien, Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to the IAEA, participated in discussions at the First International Conference on Nuclear Law from April 25-29.
Other activities
On the afternoon of April 27, in Ha Noi, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam received Dr. Kidong Park, Chief Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Viet Nam, who came to say goodbye.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson
On April 29, answering reporters’question about Viet Nam's reaction to China's issuance of a three-month fishing ban in the East Sea, including Viet Nam's waters, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang stated:
“Viet Nam’s stance on China’s fishing ban in the East Sea is consistent and has been asserted clearly over the past years. Accordingly, part of this ban’s scope has violated Viet Nam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago and the country’s sovereign right and jurisdiction identified in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Agreement on the delimitation of the Gulf of Tonkin signed by Viet Nam and China in 2000.
Viet Nam demands China respect Viet Nam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago, sovereign right, and jurisdiction over Viet Nam’s sea areas when implementing measures for conserving fisheries resources in the East Sea; not complicate the situation; and contribute to the maintenance of peace, stability, and order in the East Sea.”
On April 28, in reply to a reporter’s question on Viet Nam’s response to the Annual Human Rights Report 2021 of the U.S. Department of State, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang affirmed Viet Nam’s consistent policy of respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of its citizens.
