Việt Nam hopes for stronger relations with Lithuania: PM

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính had talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis in Hà Nội on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese Government always treasures and wishes to strengthen its relations with Lithuania, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính told visiting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis in Hà Nội on Wednesday.

Chính highlighted the first foreign minister-level visit between the two countries since they established diplomatic ties in 1992, and expressed his belief that it will be a milestone contributing to promoting the bilateral relations in various fields.

Landsbergis noted his impressions on socio-economic achievements Việt Nam has recorded recently, and affirmed that Lithuania wishes to boost cooperation with Việt Nam – its priority partner in Southeast Asia.

Chính suggested the two sides enhance all-level delegation exchanges to raise political trust and mutual understanding and create a foundation to reinforce and expand bilateral cooperation in all fields. In that spirit, he asked Landsbergis to convey invitations from high-ranking Vietnamese leaders to the President and the PM of Lithuania to visit Việt Nam.

The leader said he hopes that the two sides will encourage and support their businesses to connect and explore respective markets as well as cooperation opportunities, suggesting Lithuania create favourable conditions for Vietnamese agricultural, forestry and fishery products, especially rice and seasonal fruits, to make deeper inroads into the Lithuanian market.

On this occasion, Chính thanked Lithuania for supporting the signing of the Việt Nam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and being one of the first EU member states to ratify the EU-Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). He also called on Lithuania to encourage other EU member countries to soon approve the EVIPA, and help Việt Nam have the European Commission (EC)’s “yellow card” warning on its seafood lifted.

Host and guest compared notes on some measures to foster cooperation in information technology, energy, digital transformation, climate change response, education-training, and agriculture, along with the early negotiations and signing of some cooperation agreements in potential areas in the time ahead.

Landsbergis suggested Việt Nam consider and facilitate the imports of Lithuanian agricultural products.

The two sides agreed on the need to beef up collaboration at multilateral forums and international organisations, and the importance of resolving disputes by peaceful measures in line with international law, especially the United Nations Charter. — VNS