President Quang hailed the first Vietnam visit by President Michael D. Higgins, which coincides with the twentieth anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties, saying that he believed the visit would generate new momentum for bilateral friendship and co-operation.
Both leaders pledged to boost ties in trade and investment, education and training, green technology, renewable energy, agriculture, healthcare and sustainable development, as well as to facilitate visits at all levels.
On the economic front, they promised to offer all possible support to businesses to enhance their links and transfer technology, especially in the fields of renewable energy, agriculture and food processing, communications, healthcare and aviation, given the signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement.
Regarding education and training, a focus of the bilateral partnership, they vowed to encourage tertiary establishments to form partnerships.
The host thanked the Irish government for considering Vietnam a priority partner in its development co-operation policy, adding that Irish-funded projects had contributed to Vietnam’s socio-economic development and global integration.
Ireland will soon announce a national strategy on development co-operation with Vietnam for 2017-2020 and will continue supporting the Southeast Asian country in poverty reduction, the response to climate change and the implementation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, Higgins said.
Both sides also committed to promoting cultural and art exchanges and upholding the role of Vietnamese community in Ireland as a bridge between the two countries.
Highlighting the significance of maintaining global peace, security and development co-operation, they agreed to continue working closely together at international forums such as the United Nations, the ASEAN-Europe Meeting and the ASEAN-EU co-operation framework to deal with global issues, including climate change and the implementation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Regarding the East Sea issue, the two leaders agreed that disputes at sea should be settled by peaceful means in line with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Following the talks, host and guest witnessed the signing of cooperation agreements in the fields of development co-operation, education and training, wind power, information technology, post and telecommunications and medical equipment.
At the press conference later, they expressed their desire to boost the friendship and all-round collaboration between their two countries in the foreseeable future.
