President Thuong stated that after more than five decades sincethe establishment of diplomatic relations (1972-2023), Vietnam and Austria havewitnessed their traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation developingwell and dynamically.
In terms of politics and diplomacy, the two countries have regularly exchanged delegations at all levels, especially high-level ones, andclosely cooperated and supported each other at regional and international forums.Austria always remains among the top 10 export markets of Vietnam in Europe,while Vietnam is an important trading partner of Austria in Southeast Asia. Thebilateral collaboration in other fields such as culture, education, andscience-technology has also been practically and effectively developed.
The Vietnamese State leader expressed confidence that hisvisit to Austria will create a new momentum, enhance mutual understanding andtrust, and provide a foundation for the strong development of the bilateral relations inthe future.
He stressed that both sides have unanimously agreed tofurther enhance the ties across all areas, including politics, diplomacy,economy, investment, culture, sports, tourism, science-technology, andpeople-to-people exchanges.
The President affirmed that Vietnam has pursued a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, and multilateralisation. Vietnam wants to be areliable friend and partner of all countries and a proactive and responsiblemember of the international community, he said.
President Thuong also highlighted a common wish toresolve all conflicts in the region and the world based on the respect for the UnitedNations Charter and international law.
For his part, the Austrian President said that at thetalks, the two sides discussed various issues to promote comprehensive cooperationin all areas. He emphasised that Vietnam is an important trading partner ofAustria in the Asian and ASEAN regions, as well as a large market and anattractive investment destination for Austrian businesses.
Currently, Austria has dozens of firms investing andoperating in Vietnam with total capital of about 500 million EUR. However, there isstill much potential for further cooperation in the coming period to achievemore practical results, the leader affirmed.
He said Austria and Vietnam are also launching jointactivities regarding dual training, preferential loans, and collaborationbetween the two foreign ministries as outlined in a freshly signedmemorandum of understanding.
The Austrian President described Vietnam as an important partner of theEuropean Union (EU). He noted that the signing and implementation of theEU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has significantly contributed topromoting economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and the bloc ingeneral, and between Vietnam and Austria in particular.
Additionally, Vietnam and the EU have worked together inprogrammes and projects involving climate change response, environmentalprotection, and human rights dialogues. The two sides have also collaborated effectively at various international forums, sharing common interests tostrengthen multilateral cooperation and to resolve conflicts based oncompliance with international law.
Mentioning the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the two leaders said they support the settlement of conflict by peaceful measures on the basis of respect for the UN Charter and international law./.