State and Government leaders host Deputy President of South Africa

At the reception, the Vietnamese State leader affirmed Vietnam’s recognition of importance to the partnership for cooperation and development with South Africa.

He emphasized that the Deputy President’s official visit takes place at an important point of time, when both nations are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.

Thuong greatly valued the substantive and productive talks between Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan and Deputy President Mashatil, underscoring Vietnam’s unwavering foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of foreign relations, being a friend and trustworthy partner of countries, and being a responsible member of the international community.

Given the two countries’ close-knit relations that date back to the 1960s, President Thuong voiced his hope that the two sides will keep strengthening cooperation in different fields in the time ahead.

In response, Mashatile perceived that Vietnam and South Africa share many similarities to bolster cooperation for common development.

The African National Congress (ANC) party treasures and desires to boost all-around relations with Vietnam, he said.

The Deputy President informed his host about the outcomes of his successful talks with the Vice President of Vietnam, adding that the two sides reviewed the cooperation over the recent past, especially the implementation of the outcomes of Vice President Xuan’s visit to South Africa last September, and identified cooperation orientations for the coming time.
At the meeting, the two leaders consented to intensify mutual visits, especially high-level ones, to further deepen political trust.

They agreed upon the continued coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums, especially the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), and the South - South cooperation.

Glowingly speaking of the two countries’ important positions as gateways in their respective regions, both host and guest concurred to augment Vietnam’s cooperation with the African Union and South Africa’s ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The two countries will enhance connections in economy, trade, investment, education, training, and such new areas as digital transformation, and green economy, which match both sides’ potential and demand, to practically serve socio-economic development in each country.

Vietnam and South Africa will also incentivize their businesses to increase meetings, promote trade and investment, and expand cooperation with each other, the leaders stated.

Highlighting the countries’ rich cultures and tourism potential, they agreed to actively facilitate people-to-people, cultural, and tourism exchanges to deepen mutual understanding and sentiment between the two peoples.

President Thuong thanked the State and Government of South Africa for their attention to and support for the Vietnamese community there to live, work stably, contribute to local society, and serve as a bridge helping foster bilateral cooperation.

At the meeting, Mashatile also said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa hopes to meet with President Thuong to discuss a wide range measures aimed at pushing up bilateral relations. Meanwhile, the host leader extended an invitation to the South African President to pay a visit to Vietnam at an appropriate time.

Meeting with the Deputy President of South Africa, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that
Vietnam always places importance on the traditional cooperation and friendship with South Africa, which it considers one of its leading partners in Africa.

Hailing the significance of his guest’s visit from December 12 to December 15, he stating that South Africa is currently the largest trading partner of Vietnam in Africa, with bilateral trade reaching an average of USS$1.2 billion per year. It has invested USS$620,000 in Vietnam, while Vietnamese investment in South Africa so far totals roughly US$8.16 million.

The Government leader applauded South Africa’s role at regional and international forums and asked it to serve as a bridge for cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the African Union as well as regional economic communities.

For its part, Vietnam stays ready to assist South Africa to develop relations with ASEAN in an effective and substantive manner in the coming time, he went on to say..

Deputy President Mashatile informed his Chinh about some issues both sides reached a high consensus on during his talks with Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan.

During the visit, officials of South African ministries and sectors also had working sessions with their Vietnamese counterparts to discuss concrete cooperation orientations, he said, noting that he also met some outstanding businesses of the two nations operating in electric vehicle, telecommunications, pharmaceutical, farm produce, construction material industries.

Both host and guest noted their satisfaction at the strong progress in the countries’ relations. They agreed that basing on the results obtained during the past 30 years of diplomatic ties, Vietnam and South Africa will continue seeking new directions, methods, and impetuses to further reinforce bilateral ties in the next 30 years.

Regarding economic and trade links, PM Chinh stated that the two sides should continue fine-tuning legal corridors to create safety and trust to encourage their businesses to invest in the areas of shared interest.

They also need to provide optimal conditions for their goods to enter each other’s markets, including negotiating and signing a cooperation deal on the mineral industry, which both countries boast huge potential for and is also important in the current period.

He also suggested cooperation be expanded in the fields of digital transformation, green growth, granting of scholarships for students, and granting of visas for the two countries’ citizens.

The two leaders also agreed to promote the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and share experience in mobilising financial resources for the development of a renewable energy industry ecosystem and services, energy transmission and storage, efficient energy use, green energy transition, and greenhouse gas emission reduction in the transportation sector.

The Deputy President of South Africa showed his delight at his successful visit, saying he hopes more mutual visits will be conducted in the time to come.