Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Russia issued a joint statement on further deepening the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, President To Lam said while co-chairing a meeting with the press with visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hanoi on June 20 following their talks on the same day.
Welcoming President Putin and the high-ranking Russian delegation to pay a state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, President Lam stressed that the visit is of significance, especially as the two sides are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the bilateral Treaty on Principles of Friendly Relations and looking to the 75th anniversary of Vietnam-Russia diplomatic relations in 2025.
The Vietnamese leader underscored that Vietnam always highly evaluates the whole-hearted support from the Russian people during Vietnam’s past struggle for national independence and reunification as well as in the current process of national construction and development.
During the implementation of the country’s external policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, development, multilateralisation and diversification of international relations, Vietnam has constantly considered Russia one of the most important partners, and hopes to promote the long-standing traditional friendship that generations of leaders and people of Vietnam and Russia have diligently nurtured, he stated.
Regarding the outcomes of the talks with President Putin, President Lam said that along with the joint statement, ministries, sectors and agencies of the two sides signed many cooperation deals in the fields of education-training, science-technology, justice and sports, helping to continue improving the legal basis and making bilateral cooperation deeper and more effective.
President Lam affirmed that the two sides agreed on major directions and measures to further strengthen the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership. They reached consensus on strengthening the bilateral relations on the basis of mutual trust, equality, mutual benefit and non-interference in each other's internal affairs based on the basic principles of the United Nations Charter and international law. They also agreed not to join any alliance with a third party to take actions that are harmful to each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and fundamental interests, and not to resist any third party. They agreed to actively contribute to peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.
The two sides also affirmed to continue strengthening political trust through increasing meetings and exchange of delegations at all levels, especially at the highest level, and promoting legal mechanisms of the Party, State and Government, National Assembly, ministry, and locality channels.
Assessing economic cooperation as a pillar of the comprehensive strategic partnership, the Vietnamese leader said the two sides will continue to effectively implement and soon negotiate to upgrade the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union. They plan to make efforts to remove difficulties and obstacles caused by unfavorable impacts of the world economy to promote trade and investment, and support the improvement of the efficiency of key projects in the fields of energy, and oil and gas. The two long-time partners also plan to create favourable conditions for businesses to expand investment and operations in each other's territories, in accordance with their laws, and international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
In addition, the two sides agreed to soon research and expand cooperation in the fields of new and clean energy, and contribute to green transition and sustainable development, while showing their hope to step up collaboration in defence and security and in response to non-traditional security challenges.
President Lam said that the two sides were unanimous in intensifying cooperation in the fields of transport, science and technology and innovation, education and training, vocational training, culture and arts, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. They pledged to continue create favourable conditions for Vietnamese citizens in Russia and Russian citizens in Vietnam to live, study, and work stably, thus serving as important bridges for the traditional friendship.
Touching on several regional and international issues, the two sides support the building of a democratic, fair and transparent international relations system based on international law and the UN Charter, including not using force or threatening to use force, the settlement of disputes via peaceful measures, the promotion of new, expanded, inclusive, transparent and open multilateral trade system without discrimination based on the principles of the World Trade Organisation.
They embraced an inclusive, undivided Asia-Pacific regional structure based on international law, and promoted economic linkages via APEC, G20, Asia-Europe economic cooperation frameworks. Vietnam acknowledged Russia’s enhanced collaboration with the Mekong sub-region, contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world.
Regarding the East Sea issue, the two sides support and ensure security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, not using force or threatening to use force, and the handling of disputes via peaceful means that are in line with the UN Charter and international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They back the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) as well as early negotiations towards a practical and effective Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea in accordance with international law.
Looking back on the traditional friendship, President Putin highlighted that the visit by the high-ranking delegation of Russia aims at continuing to consolidate and enhance the comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam.
He affirmed that his talks with President Lam took place in a sound and practical atmosphere, resulting in the issuance of the joint statement, while supporting the principles of the Vietnam – Russia comprehensive strategic partnership.
The two leaders discussed measures to develop the traditional friendship in the time ahead and mentioned regional and international issues of mutual concern.
Agreeing to continue bolstering the economic-trade cooperation, an important pillar in the two countries’ partnership, President Putin affirmed that the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union that took effect in 2016 has created favourable conditions for the two countries to access each other’s market, and expand their investment areas.
President Putin said he hopes that his state visit to Vietnam this time will contribute to creating an important momentum, promoting cooperation in all fields, as well as helping the two sides define and agree on directions and measures to further promote their traditional friendship.
Prior to the press conference, the two Presidents witnessed the signing of cooperation documents in the spheres of education, nuclear technology research, disease prevention, oil exploration and justice.
The documents include the agreement between the Government of the Republic Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Government of the Russian Federation on cooperation in higher education, the cooperation programme between the Justice Ministries of the two countries in the 2024-2025 period, and the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a roadmap for the implementation of a nuclear science and technology centre project in Vietnam between the Ministry of Science and Technology and Russia's Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation, the MoU between the Joint Vietnam-Russia Tropical Science and Technology Research Centre and the Russian Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare on developing laboratory infrastructure for disease prevention and control.
The two leaders also witnessed the handing over of the adjusted investment registration certificate of Lot 11-2 to Zarubezhneft Group, and the exchanges of the agreements on scientific exchange cooperation between the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), the cooperation agreement between Hanoi University and RANEPA, the cooperation agreement between Hanoi National University and Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU), the cooperation agreement between the Vietnam National University, Hanoi and the Higher School of Economics (HSE), the MoU on cooperation between the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group and NOVATEK Group, and the MoU between BVIM Management Joint Stock Company and Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF)./.
