Enhancing the Strategic Partnership with Italy, India and Thailand as well as strengthening cooperation with nations in Eastern Europe are among achievements gained during the official visits to Viet Nam by the foreign heads of state in 2014.

Strategic partnership promoted

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee paid an official visit to Viet Nam from September 15-17 at the invitation of State President Truong Tan Sang.

The two leaders agreed to strengthen the Strategic Partnership relations, focusing on areas such as politics, national defense, security, economics, science and technology, oil and gas, culture, people-to-people exchanges and regional and multi-lateral cooperation.  

They consented to upgrade the two-way trade turnover to US$7 billion by 2015 and striving to achieve the figure of US$15 billion by 2020.

A number of cooperative agreements were signed under the witness of State President Sang and the Indian President.

During the first Italian PM’s official visit to Viet Nam from June 9-10, PM Matteo Renzi and PM Nguyen Tan Dung exchanged measures to accelerate the Strategic Partnership relationship (established in January 2013) more effectively.

Especially, they were unanimous in lifting the trade value to US$5 billion in the upcoming two years.

The Italian PM respected the role of Viet Nam in the cooperation between the ASEAN and the EU.

He also listed Viet Nam among 10 emerging markets given priorities for developing trade and investment cooperation, expressing concerns about the East Sea issue and proposed all sides restrain and prevent to use force as well as deal with disputes through peaceful measures based on the international laws.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung and PM Prayut Chan-ocha of Thailand agreed to lift up the two-way trade value between the two countries to US$15 billion by 2020, during their talks in Ha Noi on November 27.

Viet Nam appreciates Thailand’s efforts in its role as the coordinator for ASEAN-China relations, which have contributed to maintaining the bloc’s solidarity and common voice in the East Sea issue.

Both sides agreed to continue working together to settle disputes through peaceful measures in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and beef up negotiation on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung and Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak agreed to upgrade the two nations’ relationship to Strategic Partnership for the sake of both sides’ benefits and the regional peace, stability, cooperation and development during the latter's official visit to Viet Nam from April 3-5.

They were also unanimous in raising two-way trade turnover to US$11 billion before 2015 and closely cooperating in completing the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement negotiations.

Dutch PM Mark Rutte paid an official visit to Viet Nam from June 9-10 at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung.

The two PMs decided to set up strategic partnership on agriculture and food security. Earlier, the two countries had established the same level of cooperation in climate change adaptation.

The Dutch leaders confirmed to advocate Viet Nam in promoting the comprehensive relations with the EU, encourage the European Commission to soon approve the EU-Viet Nam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and recognize Viet Nam as a full market economy and complete the Free Trade Agreement negotiations with Viet Nam.

State President Truong Tan Sang on November 27 held talks with Hungary’s President Ader Janos on the occasion of the Hungarian President and his spouse’s official visit to Viet Nam from 26-29.

The two sides lauded the close and effective cooperation at international forums and exchanged issues of international and regional concerns, including the East Sea issue. 

After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of cooperative documents in fields of agriculture, technology, telecommunication and stock.

The working visit of Bulgarian PM Plamen Oresharski to Viet Nam from April 6-9 made the headlines in April.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung and Bulgarian PM Plamen Oresharski consented to strengthen cooperation in fields of economic, trade, investment, science, education, training, culture and security.