Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with his counterparts from China, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia on the sideline of the second Mekong - Lancang Cooperation Leaders' Meeting in Phnom Penh on January 10.

PM meets Chinese counterpart 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to developing its comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China, particularly in economy, trade and investment. 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang 

During a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Phnom Penh on January 10 on the occasion of his trip to attend the second Mekong – Lancang Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting, PM Phuc asked both sides to facilitate high-level visits, direct ministries, agencies and localities to realise agreements and common perceptions reached by leaders. 

He suggested further strengthening economic trust, boosting two-way trade towards more balanced and healthy growth by facilitating Vietnamese agro-forestry-fisheries products’ entry into China. 

The Vietnamese leader also called for attention to effectively conducting Chinese-funded projects, and reinforcing win-win collaboration in agriculture, environment, climate change response, science-technology, finance and transport. 

On the occasion, he invited the Chinese Premier to visit Vietnam to attend the sixth Summit of the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) slated for March 29-31. 

On issues at sea, he said that both sides should abide by high-level common perception and the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of issues at sea, well control disputes to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea while stepping up practical negotiations to reach an effective and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea. 

Li, for his part, said China is consistent with the policy of friendship with Vietnam and expressed his wish to nurture the stable and sustainable development of bilateral ties. 

He promised to visit Vietnam in an appropriate time and asked the two foreign ministries to discuss his attendance in the GMS Summit.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets Thai counterpart

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and his Thai counterpart Prayut Chan-o-cha meet on the sidelines of the 2nd Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Leaders’ Meeting. 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with his Thai counterpart Prayut Chan-o-cha in Phnom Penh on January 10, on the sidelines of the 2nd Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Leaders’ Meeting.

The two Prime Ministers expressed delight at the development of bilateral ties across the fields of politics-diplomacy, investment, trade, security-defence and judicial matters. 

They noted that bilateral trade value grew 20 percent in 2017 to reach 15 billion USD.

The two sides also coordinated closely at regional and international forums such as ASEAN, APEC and GMS.

PM Phuc hailed Thailand’s contributions to promoting cooperation in the Mekong sub-region and in the MLC framework, and asked Thailand to bring into play its role in ensuring water resource security and sustainable use of Mekong water resource.

The Thai PM said Thailand is ready to work with Vietnam in organising the summit of the Greater Mekong Sub-region in March.

Discussing measures to further expand the bilateral partnership, PM Phuc requested that Thailand create more favourable conditions for Vietnamese goods to enter its market.

Phuc took the occasion to thank the Thai Government for creating conditions for the Vietnamese community in Thailand to settle down and contribute to Thailand’s socio-economic development as well as serve as a bridge for Vietnam-Thailand friendship.

On the evening of January 10, PM Phuc and the Vietnamese delegation left Phnom Penh for home, concluding his trip to Cambodia to attend the 2nd Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Leaders’ Meeting at the invitation of Cambodian PM Samdech Techo Hun Sen.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets Lao counterpart 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and his Lao counterpart. 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked the Lao Government to simplify procedures and reduce costs for getting visa, labour permit and resident status for Vietnamese workers, helping them have stable life and contribute to socio-economic development in the host nation.

The Vietnamese Government leader made the request while meeting with Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith on January 10 on the sidelines of the ​Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Leaders' Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Prime Minister Phuc expressed his delight at the development of the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. He hailed the official friendship visit made by General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith and the success of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity Year 2017. 

At the meeting, the two prime ministers agreed to direct their ministries, branches and localities to effectively coordinate to prepare for the 40th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee slated for early this year. 

Accordingly, both sides need to evaluate cooperative ties in various sectors in 2017 and recommend breakthrough solutions to promote cooperation efficiency in 2018. In addition, they should work to bolster the implementation of the Vietnam-Laos cooperation agreement during 2016-2020.

The two government leaders affirmed that they will continue working to deepen bilateral political relations and join hands to carry out drastic and comprehensive measures to strengthen economic partnership. They also pledged to pay attention to key investment projects, and remove bottlenecks for enterprises from both sides.

PM affirms policy on strengthening ties with Cambodia

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and Cambodian PM  Hun Sen 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of strengthening good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive and long-lasting cooperation with Cambodia. 

He made the statement during a working session in Phnom Penh on January 10 with his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Techo Hun Sen on the occasion of his trip to Cambodia to attend the second Mekong – Lancang Cooperation Summit. 

Hailing recent achievements of Cambodia in diverse areas, the Vietnamese PM believed that the Cambodian government led by Hun Sen will continue to lead the country to peace, stability and prosperity. 

He wished Cambodia success in organising the Senate election in February and National Assembly election in July. 

PM Hun Sen, for his part, said Vietnam’s attendance in the Mekong – Lancang Cooperation Summit not only contributes to its success but also promotes regional cooperation. 

The two PMs agreed to take more effective measures to raise the awareness of the two countries’ people, especially young generations, about the bilateral friendship and all-around cooperation that was founded and fostered by generations of predecessors. 

They extensively discussed ways to boost bilateral ties across trade, transport, finance-banking for the benefit of the two peoples. 

Host and guest vowed to speed up the demarcation of land border and the planting of border markers in order to complete the work as early as possible. 

They also pledged to coordinate to handle the issue of legal status of Cambodians of Vietnamese descent in Cambodia in line with Cambodia’s law and the spirit of the bilateral friendly neighbourliness.

VNA