Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang visited Kazakhstan from March 2- 3 for political consultations at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan.

As part of the visit, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang and her Kazakh counterpart A. Bakayev on March 3 co-chaired the political consultations, during which both sides reviewed cooperation in various fields between the two countries and their respective foreign ministries.

They also assessed the implementation of agreements reached by high-level leaders, and compared notes on measures to forge bilateral relations in the future, as well as on international and regional issues of mutual concern.

The two sides expressed satisfaction with the positive development of the traditional friendship and all-around cooperation between Vietnam and Kazakhstan, especially following the official visit of Kazakh President K. Tokayev to Vietnam in August 2023.

The two diplomats affirmed that in the coming time, both sides should continue to intensify delegation exchanges, meetings, and regular interactions between the two countries' leaders through Party, State, and parliamentary channels at all levels, especially at the high level, to strengthen political trust and mutual understanding. This would lay a foundation for the robust and sustainable development of cooperation across a variety of spheres.

They consented to coordinate and facilitate relevant agencies of both countries in making thorough preparations for and successfully organizing high-level visits in the near future.

Acknowledging the positive trend in trade exchanges between the two nations in recent years, Host and guest noted that the current trade volume remains modest compared to the potential and expectations of both sides. They highlighted that the two countries' imports and exports do not compete directly but rather complement each other and enrich each other’s markets.

The two sides agreed to continue working together to encourage relevant ministries and sectors to fully leverage the benefits of the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), of which Kazakhstan is a member. They also discussed the importance of utilizing multimodal transport corridors and routes to boost bilateral trade in the time ahead.

They acknowledged that the agreement on visa exemption for ordinary passport holders, signed in August 2023 and set to take effect in May 2024, will offer favorable conditions for stepping up cooperation in tourism, people-to-people exchanges, and locality-to-locality cooperation. They noted that by effectively utilizing the agreement and direct flight routes between the two countries, the number of Kazakh tourists visiting Vietnam has increased sharply, reaching 150,000 arrivals in 2024.

The two sides also agreed that Vietnam and Kazakhstan have huge potential for mutually beneficial cooperation in other areas, including science and technology, transport and logistics, education and training, and culture, to meet the developmental needs of both countries in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Regarding cooperation between the two foreign ministries, Hang and Bakayev concurred to maintain regular political consultation mechanisms and high-level engagements to boost coordination and advance overall Vietnam-Kazakhstan relations, as well as ties between ministries, sectors, and localities of the two countries.

They also exchanged assessments of the current global and regional situation. They welcomed the open, balanced, diversified, and multilateral foreign policies of both Vietnam and Kazakhstan and greatly valued their close coordination at international organizations and multilateral forums, including the United Nations, to uphold their roles and contribute to global peace, stability, cooperation, and development.

The two sides acknowledged and agreed to continue considering mutual support in multilateral institutions, particularly within the UN framework.

Deputy FM A. Bakayev expressed Kazakhstan’s desire for Vietnam’s support in ramping up Kazakhstan-ASEAN cooperation. In return, Kazakhstan is ready to serve as a bridge connecting Vietnam with Central Asian countries.

Hang affirmed that Vietnam will augment ASEAN-Kazakhstan cooperation, as well as ASEAN’s relations with regional organizations in which Kazakhstan is a member, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the EAEU.

Hang expressed her hope that Kazakhstan will actively support ASEAN’s and Vietnam’s stance on maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of aviation, navigation, and trade in the East Sea (South China Sea), resolving disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Hang also thanked the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its ongoing support of the Vietnamese community in Kazakhstan and requested that the Kazakh side continue to create favorable conditions for their livelihood and business activities.

On this occasion, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang met with A. Kuspan, chairwoman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Security and chairwoman of the Kazakhstan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group in the Kazakh Parliament, as well as representatives of major Kazakh political parties.

Kuspan affirmed Kazakhstan’s keen interest in Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam over nearly 40 years of reform. She stated that the political consultations held by Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang in Kazakhstan demonstrate Vietnam’s strong commitment to bilateral relations and inter-ministerial cooperation. She stressed that Kazakhstan welcomes upcoming high-level exchanges and affirmed that both the Kazakh government and parliament will make every effort to foster bilateral relations and ensure thorough preparations for upcoming high-level visits.

Deputy FM Hang affirmed her commitment to working closely with the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies to strengthen Vietnam-Kazakhstan relations and effectively carry out the agreements reached by senior leaders, for the benefit of both nations and for peace, cooperation, and development in the region and beyond.

Earlier, on the afternoon of March 2, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang also held a working session with the Vietnamese Embassy in Kazakhstan.

Vietnam wishes to strengthen partnership with Kazakhstan: Deputy PM

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh highlighted the two nations’ frequent exchange of all-level delegations and cooperation across Party, state, and parliamentary channels, as well as their mutual support at regional and multilateral forums.