State president receives newly accredited foreign ambassadors

Receiving Bulgarian ambassador Pavlin Todorov, Thuong noted that both Vietnam and Bulgaria are each other’s partners and they should maintain regular visit exchanges, creating a solid foundation for stronger bilateral cooperation in future.

He highly appreciated the encouraging results recorded in economic, trade and investment cooperation in recent times, but reminded that the potential for stronger cooperation remains great.

He president asked the diplomat to help ramp up bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy, high technology, culture, education-training.

Ambassador Todorov for his part affirmed that Bulgaria attaches great importance to and wishes to effectively implement the documents signed with Vietnam in order to deepen the Vietnam-Bulgaria partnership.

Bulgaria is ready to cooperate and support Vietnam in education and energy projects, he assured his host.

The diplomat stressed that Vietnam is Bulgaria’s important partner in ASEAN, and Bulgaria wishes to continue to cooperate with Vietnam at the UN and other international forums.

At another reception on the same day, Ambassador Julien Guerrier of the EU Delegation to Vietnam, said he was impressed with Vietnam’s strong development following its admission to the World Trade Organisation 26 years ago.

He held that Vietnam holds a special position both geopolitically and economically in the region, so the EU wants to continue to support and cooperate with the Southeast Asian nation.

He assured his host that Vietnam has set the goal of becoming a developed country by 2045, and he expected to contribute to realizing that goal during his working term.

As the EU is the green transformation, digital transformation, and innovation leader, the diplomat said the bloc would cooperate closely with Vietnam in these fields, especially in meeting Vietnam’s net zero commitment by 2050.

The diplomat highly appreciated Vietnam making full use of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), helping its products to make inroads into the EU market. He also expected that EU would cooperate with Vietnam in infrastructure development through the EUR300 billion EU Gateway Prorgamme.

President Thuong for his part welcomed the ambassador’s proposals, saying Vietnam would work closely with the EU to concretise joint cooperation projects, including the net zero emissions goal.

As Vietnam had experienced wars, it wishes to work with other countries to resolve conflicts and disputes by peaceful means, on the basis of international law, he affirmed.

At a meeting with French ambassador Olivier Brochet, President Thuong noted that Vietnam – France relations have developed positively in all areas in recent times, including in culture with many cultural conservation projects implemented in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnam will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory next year, and it’s time to draw lessons and build a better relationship between the two countries, said the President.

He thanked France for its consistent stance regarding the East Sea issue, and expected France, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, would continue to support ASEAN’s stance that all disputes should be settled peacefully in line with international law.

Ambassador Brochet shared President Thuong’s viewpoints, and said France wants to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in all fields, including defense, energy transition, science, and tertiary education. He revealed that France will grants scholarships worth EUR1.5 million to Vietnamese students wishing to study in the European nation.

He recalled that both Vietnam and France were the two founding members of the Francophone Community, and expected that President Thuong would attend the 19th Francophone Summit that France will host next year.

While receiving Kazakh ambassador Kanat Tumysh, President Thuong emphasized that the recent visit to Hanoi by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was an important milestone in promoting the development of multifaceted cooperative relations between the two countries.

Vietnam highly appreciates Kazakhstan’s role at regional and international forums and continues to strongly support Kazakhstan’s initiatives aimed at promoting Asia-Europe links as well as enhancing cooperation between Kazakhstan and ASEAN, he assured his guest.

He noted with satisfaction the growing economic, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and Kazakhstan, and suggested that the two countries work hard together to raise their two-way trade to US$1.5 billion in the coming time.

The President also proposed that the two sides increase cultural and people-to-people exchanges as a solid basis to forge bilateral relations in the future.

Ambassador Tumysh affirmed that Kazakhstan attaches great importance to its relationship with Vietnam, as evidenced in the recent Vietnam visit by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

He revealed that the Kazakh people greatly admire legendary Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh, who made efforts to build relations between the two countries. In 2024, he said Kazakhstan will organize an event to celebrate the 65th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s visit to Kazakhstan and it will then name a large avenue after the Vietnamese president.

He conveyed President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s greetings and invitation to President Vo VanThuong to visit Kazakhstan.

President Thuong happily accepted the invitation.