These are areas of Vietnam’s demand and Romania’s strength, the visiting PM told Romanian President Klaus Iohannis during their meeting on April 15 in Bucharest.
He suggested the two countries join hands in other fields like labor, education-training, culture-tourism, agriculture, national defense-security and science-technology.
Vietnam treasures the Romanian people’s valuable support towards the country over the past nearly 70 years, the leader said.
    |
 |
|
At the meeting between Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (right, second) and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis (left, second) |
He called for more support from Romania, in its capacity as EU president in the first six months of 2019, for the signing and ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).
PM Phuc conveyed the invitation of Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong to President Iohannis to visit Vietnam on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2020. The Romanian President accepted the invitation.
Iohannis said Romania attaches importance to the traditional friendship with Vietnam and regarded PM Phuc’s visit as momentum to promote bilateral relations.
Vietnam and Romania have substantial potential to enhance their ties, he said, noting nearly 4,000 Vietnamese have studied in Romania and 500 Vietnamese are living and working in the country.
The President lauded the socio-economic achievements Vietnam has recorded over the years as well as its position in the region and the world.
Romania backs the intensification of Vietnam-EU relations, and will push the signing of the EVFTA and the EVIPA in order to materialize cooperation projects that would benefit Vietnam, the EU and Romania, he said.
Host and guest agreed to urge ministries, agencies, localities and partners of the two countries to step up their connectivity to develop the bilateral relationship, bringing significant outcomes to celebrate the 70th anniversary of bilateral ties.
Vietnam and Romania will continue close coordination at multilateral forums like the United Nations and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), they vowed.
The same day, PM Phuc met with President of the Romanian Senate Călin Popescu Tăriceanu, during which he said Vietnam treasures relations with Romania and highly values the Romanian Senate’s contributions to bilateral ties.
He also applauded the role played by friendship parliamentarians’ groups of the two countries, and delegation exchanges between their parliaments.
The PM thanked Romania, including the Senate, for supporting the EVFTA and the EVIPA during the country’s EU rotating presidency. He expressed his hope for further support from Romania in the future.
PM Phuc conveyed the invitation of National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan to Senate President Călin Popescu Tăriceanu to visit Vietnam.
In reply, the Senate President said PM Phuc’s visit demonstrates an important development of bilateral ties.
The Romanian Senate recognizes the importance of the Vietnam-Romania friendship and hopes the bilateral relations will grow stronger.
Romania has supported the EVFTA and the EVIPA, and is accelerating legal reviews so the agreements will be reached soon, he said.
He suggested Vietnam and Romania step up collaboration in agriculture, labor and trade, gearing towards two-way trade of USD 1 billion.
Romania wants to welcome more Vietnamese students and workers to the country, he said.
Source: VNA