The Hanoitimes – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry on January 13 co-organized a pre-new year meeting with the Ambassadors and charge d’affaires of the EU in Viet Nam.
The event hosted by the Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affair and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) opened a broad array of activities celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam-EU diplomatic relations (1990-2015).
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister Bui Thanh Son lauded active developments in Viet Nam-EU relations over the past 25 years as well as the bilateral cooperation between Viet Nam and each nation in the EU. He valued the EU’s cooperation and supports for Viet Nam in the national development and international integration, thanking the Ambassadors and charge d’affaires for their contributions to Viet Nam-EU relationship. He also thanked the EU diplomats for their remarkable contributions to fortify and develop the Vietnam – EU ties.
On the occasion, Son also extended condolences to the families of victims of the recent terror attack on the weekly Charlie Hebdo’s headquarters in Paris while affirming Vietnam’s desire to forge closer cooperation with the EU in a bid to ensure peace, security, stability and development in the region and the world at large.
Viet Nam expected to strengthen cooperation with the EU in guaranteeing regional and international peace, security, stability and development, he affirmed. The Deputy Minister hoped that thanks to the support and cooperation of the Ambassadors and charge d’affaires, Viet Nam and the EU will complete key works in 2015, including the approval of the EU-Viet Nam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement(PCA), the signing of the Viet Nam-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the EU’s recognition of Viet Nam as a market economy.
EU Ambassador in Vietnam Franz Jessen, in turn, applauded Vietnam’s outstanding achievements in socio-economic development and the vigorous growth of the Vietnam-EU relations in recent times. He reiterated the EU’s recognition of high importance to cooperation with Vietnam- one of the EU’s key partners in the Asia – Pacific region.
The EU will join efforts with Vietnam to push up cooperative relations in a more substantial, effective and comprehensive manner, especially after the pair complete the ratification and signing of the PCA and EVFTA, the EU diplomat said.
In his statement, VCCI Vice Chairman Hoang Van Dung asserted his agency’s willingness to work cohesively with ministries, organizations and partners to enhance cooperation and connections, contributing the development of the Vietnam – EU economic and trade links.
Vietnamese enterprises expressed their desire to learn about and take advantage of business opportunities for cooperation with European partners and called for more support from the Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs, VCCI and embassies to promote trade with the potential market.
By Bach Nhat
Đăng ký: VietNam News
