Party, State leaders receive Myanmar President

President Tran Dai Quang chaired a reception for Myanmar President Htin Kyaw on October 26 in Hanoi, on his visit to Vietnam from October 26 to 28.

During talks, two sides have agreed to further enhance political and diplomatic ties via increasing all-level visits and contacts through Party, government, State, National Assembly channels and people-to-people exchange.

The two Presidents also shared the view that the two countries should maintain existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms such as the Inter-Committee on Vietnam-Myanmar Bilateral Cooperation, the deputy ministerial-level political consultation, and the Inter-Committee on Trade, among others.

They pledged to deepen mutually-beneficial trade and investment.

President Tran Dai Quang (L) and President Htin Kyaw reviewing guards-of-honor at the welcoming ceremony

Vietnam is currently the 10^th largest trade partner and investor in Myanmar. Both sides are actively working together on 12 priority fields of agriculture, industrial plants, fisheries, finance-banking, aviation, telecommunications, oil and gas, mining, electrical devices, automobile assembling, construction, and trade and investment.

President Htin Kyaw hailed the efficient operation of the Association of Vietnamese Investors in Myanmar, and affirmed that the Myanmar government provides favorable conditions for investors in the fields of banking, telecommunications, aviation, mining and tourism.

The two State leaders shared the view on common interest in regional peace and security, and affirmed their commitment to enhancing national defense-security ties via the sharing of experience and information, as well as optimizing existing cooperation mechanisms.

They pledged to promptly establish mechanisms for deputy ministerial-level defense policy dialogue and a joint working group of the defense ministries’ external relations departments. They agreed to hold the fourth security dialogue in the near future, and push ahead with negotiation for the signing of an agreement on extradition and another one on the transfer of sentenced persons between the two countries.

Host and guest expressed their pleasure with the increasingly strong ties across agriculture, telecommunications, transport, justice, culture, education, tourism, people-to-people exchange, and agreed to sign agreements to create a legal framework for partnerships in specific areas.

The two leaders vowed to boost people-to-people exchange and culture-tourism collaboration, believing that mutual understanding and the sharing of cultural values are firm foundation for mutual trust and long-term bond between the two nations.

On regional and global issues of shared concern, they vowed to work with other ASEAN member states to accelerate the building of the ASEAN Community via the effective and full implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the promotion of ASEAN’s central role in regional architecture. The two sides will also work to increase cooperation in the sustainable and effective use of Mekong River water resources, especially within the framework of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and related organizations.

On the occasion, the Myanmar President said the country will consider joining the MRC.

As regards the East Sea (South China Sea) issue, the Presidents pledged to promote peace, security, stability, maritime and aviation safety and freedom, as well as unhindered trade in the region, especially in the East Sea. They called on parties concerned to exercise restraint, refrain from the use of force or threat to use force, fully respect diplomatic and legal process, settle disputes by peaceful means in line with basic principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The two Presidents reiterated their support of the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and the cooperation for finalization of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.

Party Chief Nguyen Phu Trong (R) receiving Myanmar President Htin ​Kyaw

* The same day, President Htin Kyaw paid a courtesy call to Party Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong. Myanmar President Htin Kyaw has pledged to deepen bilateral ties with Vietnam and promote all-level visits and meetings during the meeting.

The President expressed his joy to visit Vietnam for the first time and extolled the remarkable achievements Vietnam has attained over the past 30 years of renovation, under the sound leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

He updated the host on the outcomes of his talks with President Tran Dai Quang and the meeting with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, while affirming that he will work to develop the time-honored friendship between the two countries.

President Htin Kyaw also promised to expand trade-investment ties between Myanmar and Vietnam on the basis of mutual benefits, create the best possible conditions for business operations, enhance people-to-people exchange and coordinate closely with Vietnam in the ASEAN and at regional and international forums such as CLMV, ACMECS and the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS).

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong described the Myanmar President’s State visit to Vietnam as a significant contribution to opening up a new stage in the bilateral ties between the two nations, especially at a time when both countries have a new leadership.

He affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of attaching importance to fostering and expanding friendship and multilateral cooperation with Myanmar.

The Party leader highlighted the similarities in the two nations’ history of struggling for national liberation as well as in their economic reform policies, saying that they serve as an important foundation for the two countries to further their friendship and cooperation.

He expressed his wish that the two countries will maintain and make the best use of existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, while boosting economic – trade and investment partnership, people-to-people exchanges and cooperation at local levels for mutual development.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Myanmar President Htin Kyaw

* Vietnam and Myanmar should promote corporation in the fields of their strength like aquaculture; coffee, pepper and cashew nut production, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told visiting Myanmar President Htin Kyaw at their meeting on the same day.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc thanked the guest for his contribution to the success of the 7th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMEC 7), the 8th Cooperation Summit of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV 8) and the World Economic Forum on Mekong Region (WEF Mekong), which took place in Hanoi from October 24-26.

He highlighted similarities between Vietnam and Myanmar, stressing that the two countries have great potential to foster win-win links across fields, for peace and development in the region and the world.

According to PM Phuc, as both countries are home to strong Buddhism, Vietnam and Myanmar should promote links in spiritual tourism to meet the demand of the two people.

Along with connections in politics and diplomacy, the two sides should pay attention to bolstering business links while solving difficulties facing and facilitating their business communities’ operation, he stressed.

The PM suggested maintaining 12 prioritised cooperation areas while expanding affiliation to new cooperation fields as agreed by the two nations’ leaders. He also proposed organizing annual trade fairs in both countries and regular meetings of the joint sub-committee on trade between the two nations.

For his part, President Htin Kyaw offered sympathy to flood victims in Vietnam’s central region.

He expressed his belief that the two Governments will take specific steps to implement cooperation plans between the two countries.

He said the two countries’ economic cooperation has been flourishing in recent years, especially terms of finance-banking and transport, and the two sides need to further expand their links on the basis of coordination among sub-committees in different fields.

Myanmar welcomes Vietnamese enterprises to invest in the country, especially in agriculture, he noted.

The President also proposed the two sides boost tourism links, especially opening more direct air routes to serve increasing travel demand of the two countries’ visitors.

He believed that the upcoming establishment of the Vietnam-Myanmar Friendship Association will lay a foundation for closer bilateral relationship.

The Myanmar guest took the occasion to invite the Vietnamese PM to make an official visit to his country.