Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy and Malta Cao Chinh Thien presented his credentials to Malta President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca at a ceremony held on March 10 in the capital city of Valetta.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy and Malta Cao Chinh Thien presents his credentials to Malta President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca

At the follow-up reception, Ambassador Thien briefed his host on Vietnam’s socio-economic development and international integration achievements as well as its future development strategies and goals.

Reviewing the two countries’ ties, Thien noted that economic ties have yet matched the countries’ potential.

He suggested Malta providing scholarships for Vietnamese students to develop manpower in service of the two countries’ trade, along with stepping up the exchange of high-level visits.

President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca said she is delighted with the active friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries over the past 40 years.

She expressed her hope that signed agreements, like the one on visa exemption for diplomats, between the two countries will be soon implemented and an agreement on double taxation avoidance will be signed shortly.

She agreed that Malta would receive more Vietnamese students to study English.

Vietnam and Malta officially set up diplomatic ties in 1974.

The island-country Malta uses English as its major language and its strength is tourism, training and education.

VNA