Reporter: President Tran Dai Quang has successfully completed the State visits to India and Bangladesh; so could you, please, reveal some results of the visits?
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Dinh Quy: The visits of President Tran Dai Quang, his spouse and high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to India and Bangladesh concluded with successes in various fields.
The Vietnamese President and his entourage were welcomed and received with the highest-level protocol of state visits by both Indian and Bangladeshi leaders.
Special sentiments, strong political trust and respect were seen during all meetings between the Vietnamese President-led delegation and the host countries’ State leaders, senior politicians, businessmen, scholars and students. All people of the host countries treated the Vietnamese delegates like their relatives or close friends.
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President Tran Dai Quang (R) meeting with Chairman of Workers Party of Bangladesh Rashed Khan Menon |
President Tran Dai Quang and Indian and Bangladeshi leaders reached high consensus on orientations to boost relations between Vietnam and the two countries in the coming time. While Vietnam and India agreed to realize all the contents of their comprehensive strategic partnership, Vietnam and Bangladesh agreed to bring their traditional friendship to another high level with more practical and effective cooperation activities.
During discussions, leaders of Vietnam and the two countries reaffirmed the important position of each country, comprehended opportunities and potentials for the bilateral relations and cooperation. They all agreed to enhance the efficiency of cooperation and connections, particularly people-to-people and business-to-business connections as well as sea and air connections. When the connections are well maintained, Dhaka and New Delhi will become closer to Vietnam, creating a good premise for the two sides to boost cooperation for the sake of the two peoples’ interests as well as peace, stability and development in the region and world.
Reporter: Could you please reveal the message that the Vietnamese President conveyed to the Indian people in his remarks at the Nehru Museum?
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Dinh Quy: During his State visit to India, the President made an important speech when he was visiting the Nehru Museum. In his address to local politicians, scholars, students, press and media workers, and members of the public, the Vietnamese President affirmed that Vietnam and India are strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership for the sake of prosperity of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, common interests of regional countries as well as peace and stability in the world.
Reporter: Could you clarify President Tran Dai Quang’s emphasis on traditional values and historical connections between Vietnam and the two countries during his meeting with local leaders and people?
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Dinh Quy: In fact, Vietnam, and India and Bangladesh have enjoyed long-standing historical and cultural connections. Vietnam and India celebrated the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties last year, and Vietnam and Bangladesh are celebrating the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties this year. During the visits to these two countries, apart from official talks and meetings with local leaders, President Tran Dai Quang met with representatives of various local sectors and people from all walks of life. The Vietnamese President laid a particular emphasis on the long-term traditional friendship as good foundations for today’s bilateral relations between the two nations. He also pointed out some great people still alive, who had witnessed, and contributed positively to the past development of the traditional friendship and bilateral relations between the two nations. By doing so, the Vietnamese President reminded the current young generation of the traditional friendship, and encouraged them to respect the history and contribute more to current bilateral relations between the two nations.
Reporter: Many people have believed that trade, investment and economic cooperation between Vietnam and India and Bangladesh have yet to be on par with their potentials. Do you think the Vietnamese President’s visits to India and Bangladesh will then lead to a breakthrough in this cooperation?
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Dinh Quy: India has the second largest population of 1.3 billion people while Bangladesh has 170 million people. Both countries have enjoyed relatively high growth rates (over 7%) in recent years. Meanwhile, international observers predict that the two economies will continue growing fast in the coming years. This poses a great potential for Vietnam and India and Bangladesh to boost bilateral trade and economic cooperation. The visits have consolidated the political resolve of the two sides, and helped strengthen connections between businesses of the two countries. In other words, the visits have created a good premise and a new momentum for bilateral cooperation. If both sides fully implement specific and appropriate approaches, and know how to exploit their potentials, bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Vietnam and India, and Vietnam and Bangladesh will reap large fruits in the coming years, and I strongly believe that it will happen.
Reporter: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Foreign Minister.
Interviewed by Yen Ba from Dhaka, Bangladesh
Translated by Thu Nguyen