The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, Chairman of the Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung, ambassadors, and others.
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Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh speaks at the event. (Photo: cand.com.vn) |
Addressing the event, Minh stressed that 2019 was a memorable year for Vietnam as the economic growth rate reached over seven percent and the import-export turnover hit USD 517 billion while the country welcomed over 18 million international visitors. Vietnam has already signed several free trade pacts such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), he added.
Minh expressed his thanks to the governments and people of foreign nations and international organizations for their valuable support and effective cooperation with the country over the past time. Vietnam hopes to receive more assistance from them in the time ahead, especially when the country takes over the ASEAN Chair for 2020, Chair of the 41st General Assembly of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41), and functions as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020 – 2021 tenure, he noted.
Deputy PM Minh said in order to fulfill those heavy tasks, Vietnam will work together with friends and partners, with a focus on some major priorities such as further promoting the central role of the UN, upholding multilateralism and international law, promoting trade liberalization and economic integration and connectivity, and contributing more to the settlement of regional and global challenges. Vietnam will also strive towards realizing the theme for the ASEAN Year 2020 “Cohesive and Responsive” while intensifying the process of building a united and strong ASEAN Community that will continue to play a central role and make important contributions to peace, security and development in the world.
In turn, the head of the foreign diplomatic missions, Palestinian Ambassador Saadi Salama congratulated Vietnam on the achievements that it made in 2019. He expressed his belief that with its resolve and capacity as well as the policy of peaceful diplomacy and constructive spirit, Vietnam will take on and perform important roles as Chair of ASEAN 2020, Chair of AIPA 41 and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
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Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (first from right) extends Tet greetings to foreign diplomats at the gathering. (Photo: cand.com.vn) |
The ambassador said those roles also provide opportunities for Vietnam to contribute an important voice in promoting adherence to the UN Charter and international law and maintaining peace and security in the world.
Meanwhile, Chairman of Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung thanked the foreign diplomatic missions for their friendship and support for Hanoi. He expressed the wish to receive more cooperation and assistance from the diplomatic missions so that Hanoi will realize its goal of building a peaceful, green, civilized and modern capital city.
* The same day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a meeting for journalists of domestic press agencies, who are in charge of external affairs, at the Government’s Guest House.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh highly valued the significant contributions of journalists to the external affairs in 2019, which helped readers understand the main messages of the Party and State on foreign policy.
On the other hands, Minh urged the domestic press agencies to continue working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to disseminate accurate information, bring Vietnam to the world and bring the world into Vietnam, thus contributing to enhancing understanding and friendship among peoples.
On this occasion, Mr. Minh handed over the Prime Minister’s certificates of merit to outstanding individuals and groups in recognition of their active contributions to the external affairs in 2019.
Translated by Trung Thanh