Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai (L) and his counterpart Lubomir Vazny. (Source: VNA)Bratislava (VNA) - Vietnam and Slovakia have treasured their traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation, their leaders said during Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai’s official visit to Slovakia from December 3 to 5.
The Vietnamese official met with the host country’s Prime Minister Robert Fico and Vice President of the Parliament Jana Lassakova, and held talks with his counterpart Lubomir Vazny.
While discussing a wide range of issues, the Slovak leaders asserted they have valued their friendship, solidarity and cooperation with the Vietnamese people over the past 65 years, saying these are valuable assets that need to be preserved and developed.
They affirmed that Slovakia has paid heed to cementing its traditional friendship and multi-dimensional cooperation with Vietnam.
Deputy PM Hai thanked the Slovak people for their assistance to the Vietnamese people during their struggle for independence, and current renovation and nation-building.
Vietnam places importance to strengthening and promoting its friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Slovakia as it pursues a foreign policy of openness, multilateralism and diversification.
Economically, both countries agreed to focus on tapping their strengths to promote socio-economic development.
In politics, they will enhance high-level contacts and create mechanisms that will make it easier for cooperation between ministries and businesspeople.
The two sides pledged to support each other at regional and international forums.
Slovakia will back Vietnam’s enhancement of relations with the EU, as well as the ratification and implementation of the EU-Vietnam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
The two sides gave high estimations to the Vietnamese community’s prestige and influence and contributions, pledging to do more to facilitate integration into the host country and promote the Vietnam-Slovakia friendship.
Deputy PMs Hoang Trung Hai and Lubomir Vazny witnessed the signing of a cooperation document between the Vietnamese Ministry of Construction and the Slovak Ministry of Transport, Construction and Regional Development; a new cooperation agreement between the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology and the Slovak Ministry of Education, Scientific Research and Sports; and a tourism cooperation plan between the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Slovak Ministry of Transport, Construction and Regional Development.
On December 4, a Vietnam-Slovakia economic cooperation forum took place, bringing together 100 representatives of ministries, sectors, localities and businesses.
Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai reaffirmed that the Vietnamese Government stands ready to support Slovak businesses wishing to invest in Vietnam.
He suggested similar events be hosted in the near future to help business circles establish partnerships.
Meanwhile, Deputy PM Lubomir Vazny stressed that economic and trade cooperation will continue to be a focus in bilateral ties.
Trade between Vietnam and Slovakia hit over 1.2 billion USD and Slovakia is currently the biggest Central East-European investor in Vietnam.
In 2016, the two countries will organise the second session of the Intergovernmental Committee on Economic Cooperation in Bratislava.
Ministries, sectors and locality representatives shared information regarding cooperation potential and opportunities.
On the same day, Deputy PM Hai met with the Vietnamese community and the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy.-VNA
