FM Bui Thanh Son holds phone talk with Chinese counterpart

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son made a phone call to Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on April 16, during which the Vietnamese diplomat reiterated that maintaining and developing the traditional friendship and the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China is always one of the top priorities in Vietnam’s external policy.

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (Photo: VNA)
Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (Photo: VNA)

FM Wang Yi affirmed that China attaches importance to promoting the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with Vietnam.

The two FMs vowed to bring the role of the Foreign Ministry in coordinating and promoting cooperation across the fields in bilateral ties into full play, towards a healthy and substantial growth in economic-trade relations, and to maintain discussions on international and regional issues of mutual concern.

The two sides discussed sea-related issues in a sincere and straightforward manner and agreed to continue optimising the role of existing negotiating mechanisms. Minister Son said that the two sides should handle disputes in the spirit of respecting each other’s legitimate rights and interests, bilateral agreements and common perception, and international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and work together with ASEAN to achieve positive progress regarding a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

* During his phone talks with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the same day, the Vietnamese and Indian foreign ministers agreed to coordinate closely in order to effectively promote the action programme implementing the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries for 2021-2023.

Jaishankar praised achievements recorded by Vietnam over the past time, especially in external affairs, such as its ASEAN Chairmanship 2020.

The ministers rejoiced at the steps of development of the Vietnam-India comprehensive strategic partnership, and concurred to maintain the existing cooperation mechanisms.

FM Son appreciated India’s support for Vietnam’s sustainable development goals through quick impact projects (QIPs).

Vietnam backs India’s “Act East Policy”, he said, suggesting that the two countries step up cooperation and support each other at multilateral forums, especially in 2021 when both countries serve as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

* Also on April 16, FM Son and Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita held phone talks to discuss bilateral cooperation and coordination in multilateral forums.

Minister Son expressed his delight at the steps of development in the Vietnam-Morocco ties over the past 60 years and affirmed that Vietnam treasures the friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Morocco.

To boost the bilateral relations to match with each other’s potential and demand, the two ministers discussed measures to enhance cooperation, especially in the fields of trade, investment, banking, culture, tourism, and education-training, among others.