VietNamNet Bridge – Historic talks between Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong and U.S. President Barack Obama and the official visit of the first serving British PM are among the top diplomatic activities in July.

Historic talks

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong held historic talks with U.S. President Barack Obama in the Oval Office of the White House, on Tuesday, July 7, 2015, in Washington D.C.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Barack Obama in the Oval Office of the White House, on Tuesday, July 7, 2015.

The talks, which were initially intended for 45-60 minutes, last to 95 minutes in the Oval Office of the White House, making the visit a historic one. In addition, participants at the talks included Vice President Joe Biden, National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew and Trade Representative Micheal Froman.

The visit showed that with the two nations could overcome differences in political institutions to coordinate for joint benefits. The U.S. President’s invitation to Party General Trong has shown his respect to Viet Nam’s political institution and the role of the Viet Nam Communist Party. It also manifests the importance of Viet Nam-U.S. relations to the region and the world.

Regarding the Party chief’s busy working schedule, Mr. Quan highlighted remarkable achievements of the visit.

In term of politics, the visit has contributed to strengthening bilateral political trust which will help promote the two nations’ relationship. The two sides frankly discussed issues of mutual concerns such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement negotiations, human rights and how to overcome war consequences. President Obama accepted General Secretary Trong’s invitation to visit Viet Nam.

The two nations evaluated the bilateral relationship after 20 years of normalizing their diplomatic ties, identified visions for the future and discussed measures to accelerate trade, investment, national defense and security, science and technology, education and training, health and climate change to raise the two countries’ relations to a higher level.

As many as 14 cooperative documents and agreements in such areas as aviation, banking, oil and gas were inked, sending out a clear message of the two sides’ future trade relations.

Leaders exchanged and shared their views on international and regional concerns, including the East Sea issue to contribute to peace, stability, cooperation and development in Asia-Pacific.

Accelerating Mekong-Japan cooperation

Japan pledged to offer fresh aid worth 750 billion yen (US$6.1 billion) in official development assistance to five Southeast Asian countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region over the next three years to accelerate development.

The aid was announced at the 7th Mekong-Japan Summit in Tokyo between leaders of Japan and the Mekong nations namely Viet Nam, Lao, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand.

The leaders also adopted the Tokyo Strategy 2015 for Mekong-Japan Cooperation to boost quality growth and enhance connectivity in the region by focusing on four cooperation areas, including industrial infrastructure development, regional value chain, and sustainable development.

With the goal of ensuring peace, stability and prosperity in the region, the leaders reaffirmed their determination to strengthen and deepen cooperation between member states on regional and global issues of shared concern.

In the Strategy, they underlined the importance of the ocean as a common asset of the world and closer cooperation to ensure security and safety of navigation in the region.

The leaders said recent developments in the East Sea further complicated the situation, eroded trust and confidence and may undermine regional peace, security, and stability.

Speaking at the Summit, PM Nguyen Tan Dung stressed that sovereignty and territorial disputes in the East Sea are becoming more complicated following activities regarding large-scale construction and land reclamation. Such activities have changed the basic structure and status quote of numerous natural islands, reefs and rocks, violated international law, sapped trust and increased tensions in the region.

PM Dung said that maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation in the East Sea is the common aspiration, the interest and responsibility of all countries in the region ad beyond.

Relevant parties should adhere to the principle of self-restraint without complicating the situation, changing the status quo, using or threatening to use of force. Disputes must be settled peacefully on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea he added.

On the occasion, leaders from five nations in the Greater Mekong Sub-region and 200 Japanese businesses 3 joined an Economic Forum.

VN-Thailand Joint Cabinet Meeting

PM Nguyen Tan Dung paid an official visit to Thailand on July 23 and co-chaired the 3rd Joint Cabinet meeting.

During the official talks, the two sides informed each other of the socio-economic developments and foreign policy of each country.

Both sides agreed to strengthen and deepen bilateral cooperation stipulated in the Plan of Action Implementing the Thailand – Viet Nam Strategic Partnership (2014 - 2018). They attached high importance to current bilateral cooperation mechanisms such as the Joint Cabinet Retreat, Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation, Foreign Ministers’ Retreat and agreed to effectively and expeditiously implement the agreements and initiatives concluded by both sides in order to broaden, deepen and increase effectiveness of bilateral cooperation.  

The two PMs agreed to the following: (1) set a new target for bilateral trade volume from US$15 billion to US$20 billion by 2020; (2) establish an informal consultation mechanism for business consultations and negotiations in each country; (3) forge a multi-modal transportation linkages, including land, sea, and air; (4) establish a Joint Working Group to Cooperate in Addressing Illegal Fishing; and (5) commence negotiations on Extradition Treaty.

Landmark visit of UK PM

With planeload of business men and women, UK PM David Cameron’s visit to Viet Nam is indicative of growing ties, particularly in trade and investment fields.

David Cameron is the first serving British PM to visit Viet Nam at a time the Southeast Asian country is expanding international integration with economic front as a core.

Pursuing the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multi-lateralization of external relations and engaging in a wide range of free trade agreements talks, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Viet Nam-EU free trade agreement, it is clearly that Viet Nam is emerging as an attractive investment venue for foreign investors.

The active participation in a new generation of free trade agreements is evident of “showing real willingness”, noted British PM Cameron in his interview ahead of his landmark visit to Viet Nam.

Currently, as many as 101 nations and territories have poured US$260 billion in 18,220 projects in Viet Nam.

In addition, with a young, tech-savvy population and the fastest growing middle class in South East Asia, Mr. Cameron said he believes that British businesses have much to offer.

The attractiveness of the Vietnamese market and growing trading relationship between the two countries coupled with Britain’s determination to reduce its dependence on trade with Europe seem to add more ingredients to the overall strategic partnership which was established in 2010.

During his stay in Viet Nam, Mr. Cameron held talks with PM Nguyen Tan Dung, met with Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong and State President Truong Tan Sang. He also visited the stock exchange in Ho Chi Minh City where he was accompanied by 30 British firms.

The two PMs affirmed that economic cooperation would continue to be a priority for both sides, welcoming the progress in negotiations on the Viet Nam-EU free trade agreement while underlining their shared vision of an ambitious and comprehensive agreement which would fully address both tariff and market access issues.

Both leaders were pleased to have witnessed the signing of an agreement between Rolls-Royce and Viet Nam Airlines, worth 340 million GBP.

The UK offered to Viet Nam of up to 500 million GBP in export credits to fund future infrastructure projects that could benefit from British expertise. UK Export Finance and the Ministry of Finance will now work together to identify suitable projects that may be eligible for this offer.

The two Government chiefs welcomed the investment of 100 million GBP by Prudential Viet Nam in the Ministry of Finance’s first issue of 20-year government bonds and the acceptance by Ba Ria Vung Tau province of ZincOx’s proposal to invest 75 million GBP into recycling hazardous waste and reducing carbon emissions from the steel industry, a first for a UK company in Viet Nam.

Both PMs welcomed the announcement by Harvey Nash, the largest foreign investor in the Vietnamese technology sector, that it would launch a UK-Viet Nam tech hub this year to facilitate dialogue and potential collaboration between Vietnamese and British companies, with strong political support from the UK government.

They further welcomed the leadership shown by the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Viet Nam Business Forum in taking forward the Business Integrity agenda and supported future business-led action.

Lao PM visits VN

PM Nguyen Tan Dung and his Lao counterpart Thongsing Thammavong on July 17 in Ha Noi held talks to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

The two leaders agreed to continue cooperation to implement fruitfully agreements reached at the two Politburos’ annual meeting and the 37th inter-governmental committee on Viet Nam-Lao cooperation.

They approved of high-level delegation exchanges, joint organization of major anniversaries, and experience sharing in organising the National Party Congress.

In the economic-investment-trade area, Viet Nam and Laos will boost trade in the second half of this year and bring two-way trade to US$ 2 billion by the year’s end.

Regarding security, national defence and border matters PM Dung proposed the two sides closely work together to prevent terrorism and sabotage plots; encourage people to join management of shared border lines; improve the living standards of people in border provinces; and build a border line of peace, friendship, stability, cooperation and development.

He called for bilateral efforts to prevent drug trafficking and accelerate the search for remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who died in Laos during wartime.

VN-China relations

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli paid an official visit to Viet Nam from July 16-18, during which he held talks with Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and met with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and PM Nguyen Tan Dung.

Viet Nam always attaches importance to maintaining and developing a “stable and sustainable relationship” with China, affirmed PM Dung.

For sea-related issue, PM Dung asked the two sides to abide by the agreements and common perceptions of the senior leaders of the two Parties and States regarding effective control of divergences at sea without taking actions that may further complicate the situation or expand disputes.

Both countries need to work together to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea, seriously and fully implement the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, collaborate with ASEAN member States to conclude a Code of Conduct in the East Sea, satisfactorily address disputes through peaceful measures in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in order to maintain peace and stability for development in each country and in the region.

PM Dung also called on the two countries to foster negotiation on demarcation of of the waters off the mouth of the Tonkin Gulf.

Meanwhile, Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli affirmed that China always attaches importance to accelerating cooperation with Viet Nam, striving to work with Viet Nam to deepen the Viet Nam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in a practical and effective manner.

Mr. Zhang stressed that the two countries need to strictly implement the high-level agreements, effectively control all divergences, and avoid the expansion of disputes.

VN, Brazil agree to lift up trade value to US$10 billion

The two foreign ministers agreed that bilateral ties achieved positive developments, particularly a record US$3.35 billion two-way trade turnover in 2014, which showed a 40% year-on-year rise and laid a favorable basis for reaching US$10 billion or a higher value in 2020.

The agreement was reached at the talks between Deputy PM, FM Pham Binh Minh and Brazilian FM M. L. Vieira affirmed in Ha Noi on July 27.

both countries will make early preparations for a successful visit of President Rousseff and organize the third meeting of the Viet Nam – Brazil Joint Committee on Economic, Trade, Scientific and Technical Cooperation in Viet Nam in 2015.

The two sides shared a viewpoint in resolving sovereignty-related disputes through dialogues and peaceful means in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

They will also boost negotiations for a an agreement on encouragement, reciprocal protection of investments and double taxation avoidance and other cooperation documents in agriculture, technology, education, logistics and tourism to improve the legal framework for bilateral cooperation activities.

VGP