President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (right) and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (Photo: VNA)

On September 23 morning, the Vietnamese State leader had working sessions with representatives from countries that are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Meeting with the Chinese delegation, Phuc said a stable and healthy relationship between Vietnam and China is an important factor to the development of each country, and contributes to peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large.

As neighbours, Vietnam and China should tighten their cooperation to ensure water resources security, cope with climate change and promote green development, he suggested.

Meeting with Russian representatives, Phuc emphasised that Russia is a leading important partner of Vietnam, adding that he had affirmed this fact during his online talks with President Vladimir Putin last week.

He said leaders of the two countries will soon hold in-person meetings to enhance the bilateral strategic partnership.

At a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Phuc extended his thanks to the US – one of the biggest donors of COVID-19 vaccines via the COVAX Facility. Through the mechanism, Vietnam has received 5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the US so far.

Blinken reaffirmed President Joe Biden’s latest commitment to donating 500 million more COVID-19 vaccine doses to other countries at the Global COVID-19 Summit which President Phuc attended on September 22.

Phuc said Vietnam always considers the US a leading important partner, with economic, trade and investment cooperation the main pillar of the bilateral relations.

In that spirit, he suggested the two countries continue with the exchange of high-level delegations, create more favourable conditions for major US groups, especially high-tech ones, to increase their presence in Vietnam, while ensuring stable development of trade towards a balanced trade ties.

The same day, Phuc talked over the phone with Senator Patrick Leahy, who is President pro tempore of the Senate of the US.

He lauded Leahy and the US Congress for their efforts in urging the US administration to help Vietnam with vaccines and medical supplies, and suggested the Senator further promote cooperation between the two countries in this regard.

Phuc also thanked the Senator for his contributions to the settlement of war consequences, notably the projects on dioxin remediation at Da Nang and Bien Hoa airports, and invited him to visit Vietnam when possible.

For his part, Leahy pledged that he will continue to support Vietnam in the settlement of war consequences, including assistance to war and Agent Orange/dioxin victims.

He also stressed the US’s commitments to regional and global issues like climate change, COVID-19 and maritime security, saying the US will further cooperate and support countries, including Vietnam, to deal with these challenges.

On September 22, the President had a meeting with Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, who is the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA), during which he thanked the Queen for her support for Vietnam, particularly in promoting inclusive finance.

On September 22, the President had a meeting with Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, who is the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA). (Photo: VNA)

They also shared their delight at the strong growth of the Vietnam-Netherlands relations over years. The Netherlands is now Vietnam’s second largest trade partner and biggest investor in the EU.

They agreed that both sides need to maintain high-level meetings and exchanges between ministries and local administrations so as to better tap the two countries’ potential and to remain as each other’s top partner in Southeast Asia and the EU.

Phuc highly appreciated the Netherlands’ active contribution to the COVID-19 vaccine-sharing COVAX Facility as well as its donation of medical supplies to Vietnam.

Meeting with his counterpart from Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, the Vietnamese leader suggested the two countries increase bilateral meetings and exchanges both in person and via video teleconference.

Each side should nominate an honorary consul who will act as a bridge to beef up multi-faceted ties between the two nations since they are yet to open an embassy in each other’s capital city, Phuc proposed, adding that the two countries should provide a legal framework for bolstering bilateral cooperation by early concluding talks on and signing of several agreements regarding investment protection and facilitation, and avoidance of double taxation.

President Phuc further said that Vietnam stands ready to share experience and step up cooperation with Sierra Leone in agriculture as proposed by President Julius Maada Bio.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets with his counterpart from Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio. (Photo: VNA)

In the meeting with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheik Hasina, President Phuc highly spoke of the development of the two countries’ long-standing and multifaceted partnership, saying he wants the bilateral relations to thrive further in the coming time.

Both leaders felt pleased to see the growing trade between Vietnam and Bangladesh despite impacts of COVID-19 and agreed the two sides should maintain their existing cooperation mechanisms, such as the Vietnam-Bangladesh Joint Commission and their Joint Committee on Trade, to soon lift the two-way trade to 2 billion USD.

Vietnam wants to invest in Bangladesh in the fields of agriculture and fisheries, industry and handicraft, culture, education and training, tourism, and textile and garment, the Vietnamese president said, asking the Bangladeshi side to provide Vietnamese investors with broader access to these areas.

At a meeting with Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva, the Vietnamese President spoke highly of the IMF’s cooperation with Vietnam in socio-economic development and international integration.

He also thanked the fund for joining hands with Vietnam in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Phuc appreciated that the IMF has collaborated with the World Bank, the World Health Organisation and the World Trade Organisation to set up a special task force on COVID-19 vaccines, in an effort to promote the delivery of vaccine and medical equipment for developing countries.

He voiced a hope that the IMF will support Vietnam in vaccine access and continue to stand side by side with the country in its development towards the goal to become a developing nation with modern industry and upper-middle income by 2030; and a developed nation with high income by 2045, as targeted in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress.

For her part, the IMF Managing Director congratulated Vietnam over its economic achievements in the recent past and highly valued policies by the Vietnamese Government in stabilising the macro-economy and renewing growth models.

She affirmed that the IMF will help Vietnam surmount the difficulties triggered by the ongoing pandemic and support the country’s development.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc visits Pfizer corporation

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited Pfizer, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporations, on September 23 (local time).

The president highly valued Pfizer’s role in COVID-19 prevention and control across the globe, especially with the successful development of vaccine, which is deemed an effective “weapon” to bring the pandemic under control.

He appreciated Pfizer’s delivery of over 2.8 million doses of vaccine in accordance with a contract with the Vietnamese Government, which he said is a timely help to Vietnam in its effort to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control.

The President also valued the company’s commitment to ensuring the vaccine delivery schedule in the remaining months of the year.

Ensuring adequate vaccine supply is vital to not only public health care but also socio-economic stability and development, helping prevent disruption in the supply chain and ensure operations of businesses, including those from the US, the Vietnamese President underlined.

He asked the company to increase its vaccine supply for Vietnam as soon as possible in September, and deliver the 31 million doses within this year under the contract signed by the two sides.

The President also requested that Pfizer early set a roadmap for the earliest possible handover of vaccine for children aged 12-18, as well as completion of procedures to allow other countries like Poland to resell Pfizer vaccine for Vietnam when Vietnam reaches agreements to procure the vaccine from such countries.

In reply, Senior Vice President of Pfizer Jonathan Selib said the company has built sound cooperation with Vietnam and pledged to deliver all the 31 million doses of vaccine for adults during this year, along with 20 million doses for children once it has sufficient data on efficiency and safety.

In addition, Salib took note of the suggestion in vaccine production and vowed to quickly handle procedures so that Vietnam can receive the vaccine from Poland.

Pfizer is rejoiced at the establishment of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Southeast Asia Regional Office in Hanoi, on the occasion of the visit by Vice President Kamala Harris, which demonstrates a belief in Vietnam’s capacity in disease prevention and control, he said. The company and the CDC will closely work with Vietnam in epidemic prevention and control, he added./.

Source: VNA