Vietnam takes Argentina as its most important partner in Latin America and hopes to consolidate and strengthen its comprehensive partnership with the country, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said on February 20.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Argentine President Mauricio Macri

During a meeting with visiting Argentine President Mauricio Macri, the Government leader further said that the Vietnamese people always pay attention to and love the country and people of Argentina whose football, wines and tango dance are famous all over the world.

PM Phuc also added that he is happy to meet President Macri again after their meeting in Canada last June. Over the recent past, bilateral relations have continued to obtain practical and effective developments and the two countries closely coordinated at international organisations and multilateral forums, especially the United Nations.

For his part, President Macri affirmed that Vietnam is the fifth largest trade partner of his country in the world and the second in Asia, and expressed his admiration for Vietnam’s dynamism and impressive economic growth.

The president further said Vietnam should produce more food and Argentina has good experiences and advanced technology in this field. Besides agriculture, Macri also expressed his hope that the two sides can further develop their cooperation in health care, information technology and telecommunications.

PM Phuc agreed with President Macri’s idea that the two sides should push up bilateral trade, and asked Argentina to open its market for Vietnam’s exports. He added that Vietnam and Argentina need to maintain the exchange of delegations and accelerate the cooperation initiatives at various levels.

The Government leader proposed that the two sides continue to drive their cooperation in technology, sciences, agriculture, renewable energy, and pharmacy. He also expressed his hope that the visit by President Macri will open up a new chapter in the bilateral cooperation.

Vietnam wants to bolster strategic partnership with Argentina: top legislator

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) meets with Argentine President Mauricio Macri 

Vietnam considers Argentina its most important partner in Latin America and hopes to further consolidate the bilateral strategic partnership, particularly in economics, trade, and investment, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan has affirmed.

Welcoming visiting Argentine President Mauricio Macri in Hanoi on February 20, Chairwoman Ngan said that Vietnam has not forgotten and indeed treasures the support of the Argentine people during its past struggle for national liberation.

The Chairwoman showed her delight at the positive development of the bilateral relations over the years. Political ties have been intensified through regular delegation exchanges and bilateral meetings on the sidelines of international events, she said, adding that two-way trade has increased rapidly, doubling in value over five years to reach 2.9 billion USD in 2018.

President Macri confirmed that Argentina wants to strengthen its cooperation with Vietnam, which is currently its fifth largest trade partner in the world and the second in Asia.

Informing the host of the positive outcomes of his talks with Vietnamese Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong, President Macri voiced his hope that with the backing of the Vietnamese legislature, both sides will be able to further exchange trade and investment ties, and the relationship between the two legislative bodies will be tightened so as to deepen Argentina-Vietnam relations.

He affirmed his support for the stance of solving disputes related to sovereignty and territory through peaceful negotiations and in accordance with international law.

In turn, the Vietnamese top legislator suggested both sides step up the exchange of delegations at all levels, and maintain and increase the efficiency of such cooperation mechanisms as the Inter-Governmental Committee and political consultation at the deputy foreign ministerial level.

The solid political relationship will act as a foundation to develop economic, trade, and investment ties, she noted.

The Chairwoman took the occasion to thank Argentina for backing Vietnam’s candidacy to a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure.

In the evening, Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong and his wife hosted a banquet to welcome the Argentine President and his spouse.

VNA