Portugal attaches special importance to and wishes to deepen the friendship and cooperation, including legislative ties, with Vietnam, President of the Portuguese Parliament Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues told visiting Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

Vietnamese Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh (L) and President of the Portuguese Parliament Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues

During their meeting on May 25 as part of the Vietnamese official’s ongoing visit to Portugal, the two sides expressed their joy at the flourishing development of friendship and cooperation in recent time, and agreed to forge exchange of visits and meetings at all levels, towards effectively and extensively promoting the bilateral ties. 

Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues appreciated the role and position of Vietnam in the Southeast Asia region, asserting that the Portuguese parliament backs all-around cooperation with Vietnam, especially economic, trade, cultural and tourism links.

Portugal is willing to share experience in law-making and supervision with the Vietnamese National Assembly, and supports the signing and approval of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement, he stated.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese official spoke highly of the role of Portugal in the EU as well as in addressing common issues of the international community. 

The two nations should continue supporting each other at multilateral forums such as the UN, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the EU-ASEAN cooperation mechanism, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP), he suggested. 

He asked Portugal’s parliament to assist and encourage Portuguese enterprises to expand business and investment in Vietnam, affirming that Vietnam always creates favourable conditions for foreign firms. 

Regarding East Sea-related issues, Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues stressed the maintenance of peace, stability, and navigation and over-flight safety and freedom, and peaceful settlement of disputes in the sea will bring interest to the international community, including his country. 

The Vietnamese official called on the Portuguese parliament to contribute its voice for peace, and security in the Southeast Asian region and the East Sea, and enhance stance exchange and coordination on the issue at international forums, contributing to retaining peace and stability in the region and the world.

Deputy PM Minh passed on National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan’s invitation to visit Vietnam to the host. 

VNA