VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam’s diplomatic activities in October continued to reflect the country’s efforts in making active and responsible contributions to regional forums and enhancing bilateral relations with neighboring countries and traditional partners.

Enhancing regional integration

State President Truong Tan Sang attended the 21st APEC Summit in Bali, Indonesia from October 6-8. Viet Nam has always been a dynamic, responsible and active member over the past 15 years since it joined the regional forum.

State President Truong Tan Sang attends the 21st APEC Summit, Bali, Indonesia from October 6-8

On the occasion, State President Sang delivered a speech which touched upon critical issues for sustainable economic growth in the 21st century.

Leaders to the 21st APEC Summit also agreed to support Viet Nam’s bid to host the 25th APEC Summit in 2017 following the success of the 14th APEC Summit held in Ha Noi in November 2006.

On the sidelines of the 21st APEC Summit, State President Sang met with General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President Xi Jinping, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Japanese PM Shinzo Abe and New Zealander PM John Key. Foreign Ministers of Viet Nam and Indonesia also signed an Action Plan for the 2014-2018 to realize the strategic partnership reached between the two countries last June.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung led a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to attend the 23rd ASEAN Summit and related summits in Brunei from October 8-10.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung and leaders of ASEAN member countries at the 23rd ASEAN Summit, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei from October 8-10 – Photo: VGP

In his speech, PM Dung highlighted priorities, stances and orientations for ASEAN Community building and post-2015 agenda, central role of ASEAN and the bloc’s external affairs, and regional and international issues.

He also met with Myanmar’s President Thein Sein, Australian PM Tony Abbott, Filippo President Benigno Aquino, and US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Viet Nam-China relations

At the invitation of PM Nguyen Tan Dung, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang paid an official visit to Viet Nam from Ocotber 13-15. This is the first official visit of a high-ranking leader of China since the country’s new leadership took office.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang inspect guard of honor in Ha Noi on October 13, 2013.

Both sides issued a joint declaration further deepening their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new period. They agreed to strictly follow the common perceptions reached by high-ranking leaders of the two countries as well as the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Viet Nam and China.

The two countries also signed an agreement on the opening of each side’s trade promotion agency in the other side, a memorandum of understanding on building a cross-border economic zone, a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of a joint working group in support of projects carried out by Chinese businesses in Viet Nam, an agreement on the building of Ta Lung-Shui Kou inland Bridge 2 with attached protocol, a cooperation project on research and management of maritime and island environment in the Tonkin Gulf, a research project on the comparison of Holocenne-era sediments found in the Hong (Red) River delta and the Chang Jiang delta, an agreement on the establishment of a Confucius institute at the Ha Noi University, and other economic cooperation documents.

Viet Nam, Bulgaria look to strategic partnership

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev paid a State visit to Viet Nam from October 27-31 at the invitation of State President Truong Tan Sang.

State President Truong Tan Sang and Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev inspect guard of honor, Ha Noi, October 28, 2013 – Photo: VGP

During their talks on October 28, the two Presidents agreed with joint efforts to build a “new economic cooperation model” as the means to reach the goal of a strategic partnership.

They were unanimous in promoting and diversifying economic-trade cooperation while emphasizing the importance of the Viet Nam-Bulgaria Inter-Governmental Committee on cooperation in economics, trade, science-technology, education-training cooperation.

Accelarating bilateral ties

In mid-October, Malaysian Deputy PM cum Minster of Education Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin visited Viet Nam with an aim to strengthen the bilateral cooperation in education and agriculture.

Kuwaiti Deputy PM and Minister of Oil Mustafa Al- Shemali  on October 22 paid a working visit to Viet Nam to attend the ground-breaking ceremony of the Nghi Son refinery petrochemical complex, a joint venture project between Kuwait, Japan and Viet Nam.

Costa Rica’s FM Jose Enrique Catillo Barrantes and Russian Presidential Envoy for International Cultural Cooperation Mikhail Khvydkoi arrived in Ha Noi last month.

Other diplomatic activities in October included the first Viet Nam-Uruguay political consultation (October 3-5); the 16th meeting of the Viet Nam-Russia Inter-Governmental Committee for Economic, Commercial, Scientific and Technological Cooperation (October 10); the Viet Nam-Belgium political consultation at foreign ministry-level (October 15); the 3rd Viet Nam-UK strategic dialogue (October 23) and the 4th Viet Nam-US defence policy dialogue at the deputy ministerial level (October 28-29).

Particularly, high-ranking leaders of Laos, Cambodia, Algeria and Mozambique and other international delegations arrived in Ha Noi to pay last tributes to legendary Vietnamese general Vo Nguyen Giap.

Leaders of foreign countries and parties friends around the world also extended their condolences to the Party, State, National Assembly and people of Viet Nam over the death of general Vo Nguyen Giap.

Source: VGP