Workshop reviews Vietnam-Pakistan diplomatic ties
An international workshop highlighting the Vietnam – Pakistan diplomatic ties, pillars of and elements influencing the bilateral ties took place in Hanoi on November 8.
Jointly held by the Institute for Indian and Southwest Asian Studies (VIISAS) under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) and the Pakistani Embassy in Vietnam, the event provides a forum for domestic and foreign scholars to propose orientations to promote cooperation between the two countries.
Vice General Director of the VIISAS Dr. Pham Cao Cuong said the Vietnam-Pakistan relations have continuously developed across fields since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1972.
Their high-ranking leaders exchanged visits and reached important common perceptions to promote multifaceted cooperation.
The economic and trade relations have produced remarkable results, with the two-way trade surging by nearly 32% to US$644 million in 2016, and hitting US$794 million last year – the highest-ever level, despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the recent years, many Vietnamese businesses have begun to implement large investment projects in Pakistan, bringing about initial but practical results, Cuong said.
The two countries discussed measures to promote cooperation in agro-forestry-aquaculture, transportation, electrical equipment production, automobile assembly, tourism, construction, and information technology.
Pakistani Ambassador to Vietnam Samina Mehtab said the two sides will enhance the exchange of all-level visits, work closely to maintain and promote effectively bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and promote negotiations towards signing cooperation agreements in culture, sports, tourism, aviation and maritime transport, thus creating a legal corridor to expand their cooperation in related fields.
She underlined the necessity for the two sides to strengthen high-level meetings and cooperation between their ministries and sectors, as well as expand economic connection, towards soon lifting the two-way trade to 1 billion USD.
The diplomat also suggested the two sides boost cooperation at multilateral forums and coordination in the fight against transnational crimes, and soon sign agreements on mutual legal assistance.
Le Trung Hieu, deputy director of Asia Pacific-Africa Department of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), emphasised the need to strengthen relations between the Communist Party of Vietnam and major parties of Pakistan, organise annual people-to-people friendship festivals, and implement high-level cooperation agreements between the two countries.
