>>> Vietnam, South Africa agree to boost comprehensive cooperation
The news agency quoted South Africa’s Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Reginah Mhaule as saying during the meeting that the two sides should remove their market barriers.
The deputy minister also stressed the significance of bilateral cooperation in wildlife preservation and protection.
On the Vietnamese side, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Cuong, who co-chaired the meeting with Reginah Mhaule, lauded outcomes of the bilateral relations, as reflected through the exchange of 14 high-level visits since the third forum in Hanoi in 2015, particularly the visit to Vietnam by Vice President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2016 and the South Africa visit by National Assembly Vice Chairman Do Ba Ty in 2017.
The official called on the two sides to step up their ties in defence and security to elevate the relationship to a new high with mutual trust, while enhancing links in other fields.
The news agency also highlighted the discussion on new political developments in each country along with regional issues of shared concern during the forum.
Vietnam and South Africa set up diplomatic ties in December 1993. Bilateral trade currently hits about US$1 billion each year.
