September 28, 2017 | 22:20 (GMT+7)
Vietnam, Paraguay agree to foster bilateral relations
Vietnamese Ambassador Dang Xuan Dung on September 26 presented President Tran Dai Quang’s credentials to Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes.
At
the ceremony, which was also attended by Paraguayan Foreign Minister Eladio
Loizaga, Dung conveyed President Quang’s greetings and invitation to visit
Vietnam to President Cartes. The Paraguayan leader accepted the invitation with
pleasure and affirmed to arrange the visit in the time to come.
Vietnamese Ambassador Dang Xuan Dung presents President Tran Dai
Quang’s credentials to Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes. Photo courtesy of
Vietnamese Embassy in Paraguay
While
in Asuncion, the diplomat paid a courtesy visit to Speaker of the Congress
Fernando Lugo and held working sessions with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Avalos Gimenez and Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Oscar Stark to discuss
measures to boost bilateral relations and exchange views on issues of mutual
concern.
The
Paraguayan officials showed their hope that the two nations will tighten
political ties and intensify the bilateral comprehensive cooperation through
State, people-to-people and parliamentary diplomacy channels.
They
held that Paraguay and Vietnam should effectively maintain existing cooperative
mechanisms, and welcomed the strengthened connectivity between businesses of
the two countries.
Both
sides agreed to coordinate more closely to seek ways to minimise difficulties
in geographical distance and goods prices in order to better mutual
understanding and promote bilateral relations, especially in economy, trade and
investment.
They
also pledged that Vietnam and Paraguay will serve as bridges connecting the Southern
Common Market (MERCOSUR) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN).
Vietnam
and Paraguay established diplomatic ties on May 30, 1995. Two-way trade
exceeded USD 75 million in 2016, a year-on-year rise of 24.9 percent.
Last
year, Vietnam was the fourth biggest importer of beef from Paraguay, after
Chile, Russia and Brazil.
Source: VNA