Vietnam looks towards stronger ties with Panama

The statement was made by State President Truong Tan Sang during the talks with his Panamanian counterpart Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Berrocal in Hanoi on October 25.

President Sang said Mr Berrocal’s visit with his delegation presented a new milestone in strengthening the ties of friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two nations.

He thanked the Panamanian Government and people for their solidarity and support for Vietnam, affirming that both nations share similarities in their struggle for national independence, sovereignty, peace, democracy and social progress.

Mr Sang said that Vietnam and Panama have always supported each other on the basis of bilateral and multilateral relations, noting that Panama is one of the first Latin American countries to recognize Vietnam’s full market-economy status.

The Vietnamese State leader asked the visiting delegation to create the best possible conditions for Panamanian companies to invest in Vietnam. He also requested assistance to Vietnamese businesses to engage in Panama’s investment projects, especially in shipbuilding, repair and production of export goods, and access to Latin American markets.

Both sides should continue to coordinate and support each other at multilateral forums such as the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), Sang said.

For his part, the Panamanian leader praised Vietnam’s international status, prestige and its renewal achievements, adding that his country is ready to boost cooperation with Vietnam in the areas of trade, investment, agriculture, finance, insurance, science and technology, culture, education and training, tourism, anti- transnational crime

Panama is also willing to act as a bridge for Vietnamese goods to enter the Latin American region and the country wants Vietnamese investors to contribute to development projects on the Panama canal, and is keen to share their experience in rice and coffee growing, Mr Berrocal said.

Both host and guest agreed upon measures to promote cooperative relations in the near future through strengthening high-level visits and cross-cultural exchanges for mutual understanding and trust, maintaining political consultations, proposing specific cooperation projects and supporting each other in international organizations and at multilateral forums to protect their interests and elevate the prestige of their respective countries.

They also compared notes on international and regional issues of common concern. The Panamanian President spoke highly of the development potential in East Asia and Southeast Asia, saying that his country expects to increase maritime cooperation with the region and will open regional maritime representative offices in Hai Phong and HCM City.

President Martinelli Berrocal invited Mr Sang and his wife to visit Panama and his invitation was accepted with pleasure.

After their talks, the two State leaders witnessed the signing of a cultural cooperation agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on establishing a mechanism for political reference between the two foreign ministries.

The same day, the Panamanian President met with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung.

President Sang hosted a banquet in honour of his Panamanian counterpart and his delegation to mark the occasion.