Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (left) meets with Myanmar President U Win Myint in Nay Pyi Taw on December 17. (Photo: VNA)

They shared a view that the comprehensive cooperative partnership between Vietnam and Myanmar has been growing fruitfully, while the friendship, mutual understanding and political trust has been enhanced through the regular exchange of high-level visits and meetings, and people-to-people exchanges.

PM Phuc said Vietnam always attaches great importance and wants to step up relations with Myanmar for the sake of the two countries’ people, and for peace, cooperation and development of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the region.

The leaders highly evaluated the outstanding achievements in collaboration in the fields of economy-trade-investment, defence-security, agriculture, tourism, energy, and information-telecoms.

It is noteworthy that two-way trade is expected to exceed 1 billion USD in 2019, surpassing the target set for 2020 and Vietnam has become the fifth largest foreign investor in Myanmar.

PM Phuc suggested President U Win Myint continue with his instructions and satisfy legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese investors in Myanmar, while considering the organisation of dialogues between high-ranking Myanmar leaders and Vietnamese businesses that are operating in the country.

The two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in the areas that contribute to tightening the friendship and people-to-people exchanges between the two nations like culture, sports, labour and education-training.

On regional and international issues, the two leaders consented to continue supporting each other at regional and international forums.

Regarding the East Sea issues, the two leaders held that Vietnam, Myanmar and other ASEAN member countries need to back the grouping’s stance on settling disputes via peaceful measures on the basis of respect for international law, thus helping to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea.

President U Win Myint affirmed his support for strengthening collaboration in all channels, including Party and legislative ones, and in various realms, in order to obtain important achievements towards the 45th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2020.

He took the occasion to congratulate Vietnam on its election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 term.

PM Phuc’s ongoing visit will help to boost the traditional friendship and the comprehensive cooperation partnership between the two countries, he said, stressing Vietnam is always a trustworthy and supportive friend of Myanmar.

PM Phuc welcomes proposal to set up industrial park in Myanmar

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc shakes hands with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi before their talks in Nay Pyi Taw - capital city of Myanmar on December 17, 2019. Photo: VGP

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc welcomed Myanmar’s proposal to set up Viet Nam-Myanmar industrial park in Myanmar, during his talks with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi this morning.

Phuc asked ministries and businesses of the two countries to join thorough discussions on the proposal, affirming the Government of Viet Nam strongly encourages and supports Vietnamese enterprises to invest in Myanmar.

The Government chief spoke highly of Myanmar Government’s efforts to remove barriers against Vietnamese enterprises and expressed thanks to its approval of importing Vietnamese dragon fruit.

He took the occasion to congratulate the Government and people of Myanmar on their achievements in peace, national reconciliation and development, and external relations.

Phuc expressed his wish that Myanmar will successfully organize general elections in 2020.

Meanwhile, State Counsellor San Suu Kyi welcomed Phuc on his first official visit to Myanmar, saying Viet Nam’s recent socio-economic and diplomatic achievements have provided source of inspirations for Myanmar’s national development course.

The State Counsellor also congratulated Viet Nam on having been elected as non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the tenure 2020-2021.

The two leaders welcomed the signing of an action plan for the implementation of the Viet Nam-Myanmar comprehensive cooperative partnership on the occasion of PM Phuc’s ongoing visit.

They agreed to expand defense-security cooperation to new domains like navy, military medicine, military industry, military intelligence, border management, illegal migration and money laundering among others.

The two leaders vowed not to allow individuals and organizations to use one country’s territory for conducting sabotaging activities against the other country.

They also agreed to step up talks and signing of agreements on extradition and transfer of sentenced persons and on protection of secret information.

The pair reaffirmed their resolve to continue close collaboration at regional and international forums, especially within the framework of the United Nations, ASEAN and other sub-regional mechanisms like ACMECS, CLMV, GMS, EWEC.

They underlined the importance of maintaining peace, stability and cooperation in the East Sea, settling disputes through peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to ensure security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.

The leaders also emphasized the need to respect diplomatic and legal processes while committing to support for full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and for efforts in formulating a Code of Conduct that is effective, practical and legally-binding.

After the talks, PM Phuc and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi witnessed the signing of three documents: The action plan for implementation of the Viet Nam-Myanmar comprehensive cooperative partnership for 2019-2024 period, Memorandum of Understanding on agriculture and rural development cooperation, and Memorandum of Understanding between the two foreign ministries./.

PM asks embassy to boost economic diplomacy in Myanmar

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Myanmar on December 17, asking them to push ahead with economic diplomacy as Myanmar has proved to be an attractive destination for Vietnamese firms.

At the meeting in Nay Pyi Taw, part of his ongoing official visit to Myanmar, the PM applauded the embassy and other representative agencies of Vietnam for their fulfillment of assigned tasks, which he said has greatly contributed to the two countries’ relations.

He expressed his delight at the fact that in just a short period of time, up to 230 Vietnamese businesses have come to invest and do business in Myanmar, proving this country is an attractive destination for Vietnamese enterprises.

Meanwhile, bilateral trade has grown strongly and is expected to top 1 billion USD in 2019, he noted.

PM Phuc also appreciated Vietnamese expatriates’ sentiment towards the homeland, as well as their contributions to Myanmar’s development.

He told the embassy and representative agencies of Vietnam to uphold patriotism and exert efforts to fulfill their tasks, requesting them to step up economic diplomacy and consular work so as to support Vietnamese businesses and people in Myanmar in a timely and effective manner.

He also hoped the Vietnamese community will keep united, adhere to local laws and have practical activities to help with relations between the two countries.

Additionally, the leader requested the embassy and leaders of Vietnamese people’s associations in Myanmar to pay more attention to teaching Vietnamese and preserving national culture here.

Earlier the same day, PM Phuc held talks with State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi and had separate meetings with President U Win Myint and Speaker of the Union Assembly T. Khun Myat./.

PM calls for stronger Vietnam-Myanmar parliamentary ties

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) has a meeting with Speaker of the Union Assembly of Myanmar T. Khun Myat.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a meeting with Speaker of the Union Assembly of Myanmar T. Khun Myat on December 17 as part of his official visit to the country.

The host highly valued Vietnam’s reform achievements, which has turned Vietnam into one of the fastest growing economies in the region, noting that as a country now in the reform process, Myanmar hopes Vietnam will share its experience in economic development.

He also expressed his delight at the increasingly enhanced friendship and cooperation between the two countries in all fields and via all channels, including that of the parliament.

High-level delegation exchanges have been held frequently, including a trip to Vietnam by the Myanmar parliament’s leader in 2017 and a visit to Myanmar by National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in 2016.

The two sides have also cooperated closely with each other at multilateral and regional parliamentary forums, especially the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA). The countries’ friendship parliamentary groups and legislators have also actively engaged in exchanges and experience sharing, Khun Myat said.

He also thanked Vietnam for supporting Myanmar at international forums, including the United Nations, ASEAN and AIPA.

At the event, PM Phuc informed his host about the outcomes of his meeting with President U Win Myint and the talks with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.

He asked the two parliaments to actively work together to monitor the realisation of the signed cooperation agreements, including the action prorgamme for implementing the Vietnam-Myanmar comprehensive cooperative partnership for 2019-2024 that was inked on December 17 morning. He also called on the two law making bodies to support mechanisms, policies and laws to boost the two countries’ trade and investment ties that are growing strongly.

The PM took the occasion to ask for the Myanmar parliament’s close coordination with Vietnam when the latter acts as ASEAN Chair and AIPA Chair in 2020./. VNA/VGP