Viet Nam places importance on multi-faceted cooperation with Sweden: Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son

(VNA) - Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son affirmed the importance Viet Nam attaches to developing the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Sweden during his reception for Swedish Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Robert Rydberg in Hanoi on June 10.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (right) hosts Swedish Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Robert Rydberg in Hanoi. (Photo: Tuan Anh)

Viet Nam always bear in mind the valuable support of the Swedish government and people to the country during its past struggle for national defence and reunification, and the present cause of national construction and development, the minister stressed.

Son noted with pleasure active developments of the relations over the past time, both bilaterally and multilaterally, saying the two sides have favourable conditions to consolidate and expand cooperation, especially in the areas of Viet Nam's priorities and Sweden's strengths like high-quality personnel development, modern infrastructure construction for sustainable development, institutions and laws, and socio-economic management.

He suggested the two foreign ministries continue their close cooperation to fully tap available potential and push collaboration between the two countries in the time ahead, particularly in politics-diplomacy, economy, education, green transition, digital economy and circular economy, and at multilateral forums, thus bringing practical benefits to their people and contributing to cooperation and development in the two regions.

For his part, Rydberg congratulated Viet Nam on its achievements in socio-economic development, international integration and the COVID-19 fight, and emphasised that Sweden considers Viet Nam a priority partner in Southeast Asia, and wishes to tighten the bilateral ties.

The officials agreed to step up meetings and delegation exchanges, as well as trade and investment promotion activities, and expand the bilateral cooperation in other potential areas.

Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Robert Rydberg and Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc co-chaired the political consultation between the Vietnamese and Swedish foreign ministries in Hanoi. (Photo: Quang Hoa)

Earlier the same day, Rydberg and Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc co-chaired the political consultation between the Vietnamese and Swedish foreign ministries in Hanoi, during which the sides exchanged views on the bilateral collaboration and regional and international issues of shared concern.

They reviewed the Viet Nam-Sweden cooperation in different spheres, and reached consensus on measures to boost the ties after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ngoc suggested the two sides resume all-level delegation exchanges and increase trade and investment promotion activities, and called on Sweden to share its experience in innovation, science-technology, energy, climate change response, green growth, the fulfillment of commitments at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), and utilisation of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Rydberg said the Swedish business community regards Viet Nam as an important market in the global value chain, and shared the view that the two ministries should further their close coordination to contribute to fostering the relationship between the two countries dynamically and effectively across spheres.

The sides also consented to maintain their cooperation at multilateral forums and their mutual support in the election and nomination to United Nations agencies and organisations, along with cooperation within the frameworks of ASEAN-EU and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).

They exchanged views on regional and international issues of common concern in Asia-Pacific and Europe, the East Sea issue and the Mekong sub-regional cooperation./.

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