“Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh Proposes China Prioritize Railway Cooperation”

On May 27th, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held official talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang as part of his official visit to Malaysia and attendance at the 46th ASEAN Summit and related meetings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that the recent visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President Xi Jinping marked a new milestone of historic significance and provided strategic orientation for the development of relations between the two Parties and countries.

Underlining the importance of the first meeting between the two Prime Ministers following the visit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that the Vietnamese Government and himself stand ready to closely coordinate and maintain regular exchanges with the Chinese Government and Premier Li Qiang, and promptly implement the common perceptions reached between the two General Secretaries.

The Prime Minister suggested maintaining regular high-level exchanges, strongly promoting economic, trade, and investment cooperation, while attaching importance to promoting balanced trade; and expanding cooperation in science, technology, and innovation so that these fields would become bright spots and new driving forces for the bilateral relationship.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed prioritizing the promotion of railway cooperation and striving to commence the construction of the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong route in 2025. He also requested the Chinese side to pay attention to providing preferential credit, technology transfer, and human resource training.

Premier Li Qiang congratulated Vietnam on the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam), and the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification.

Premier Li Qiang conveyed the cordial regards of General Secretary and President Xi Jinping to General Secretary To Lam and other Vietnamese leaders. He also expressed his appreciation for the warm and solemn reception with the highest rituals that the Vietnamese Party and State arranged for General Secretary and President Xi Jinping’s visit.

Agreeing with the cooperation priorities mentioned by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Premier Li Qiang affirmed that the Chinese Government is determined and ready to work with the Vietnamese Government to implement and concretize the common perceptions between the top leaders of the two Parties and countries; strengthen strategic communication and enhance political trust; and promote substantive cooperation to achieve specific progress, especially in areas of shared concern such as trade, high-quality investment, and railway connectivity.

The two leaders exchanged and reached a common understanding on continuing close coordination with ASEAN countries to maintain peace and stability in the region, and promoting the early achievement of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, in accordance with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS.

Promoting FTA negotiations with the GCC

Also on May 27th, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi.

The Prime Minister requested the GCC Secretary-General to support and expedite the completion of procedures to enable the early issuance of a declaration on the launch of FTA negotiations between the GCC and Vietnam at the earliest opportunity, and to consider negotiating agreements on investment encouragement and protection, thereby facilitating the expansion of economic, trade, and investment cooperation.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh suggested that the GCC Secretary-General encourage investors and businesses to increase investment in Vietnam, especially in the development of international financial centers, as well as projects on digital transformation, energy transition, and green economy.

GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi affirmed that all GCC countries attach importance to and wish to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam. The Secretary-General agreed with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s proposals and pledged to make efforts to promote the early launch of FTA negotiations between Vietnam and the GCC, creating a favorable legal framework for enhanced economic cooperation.

The two sides agreed to coordinate the effective and substantive implementation of the commitments reached at this Conference, organize trade and investment promotion events in Vietnam, and develop specific plans to implement the Memorandum of Understanding between the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the GCC Secretariat to enhance cooperation between the two sides in the coming time.