Diplomatic highlights in December
Tightening relationship with neighboring nations, playing crucial roles at multi-lateral forums, completing the Free Trade Agreements negotiations with the Custom Union and the Republic of Korea as well as paving the way for cooperation with nations in the Middle East are remarkable diplomatic events in December.
State President Truong Tan Sang paid a courtesy visit to Cambodia on December 23-24 at the invitation of Cambodian King Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni.
At the meeting with the Cambodian King, the two leaders asserted to consolidate and enhance the two nations' relations, agreeing to raise the two-way trade turnveor to US$5 billion by 2015.
They re-affirmed to launch effectively Conventions and Agreements on border and complete the land border demarcation and marker planting with the aim of establishing a peaceful, cooperative and development border.
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Earlier, Deputy PM, FM Pham Binh Minh and Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc paid official visits to Laos.
Deputy PM Minh and Lao Deputy PM, FM Thoonglun Sisulith signed the Cooperative Agreement between the Vietnamese and Lao Ministries of Foreign Affairs in the 2014-2020 phase.
At the talks on December 9, Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Lao Deputy PM Somsavad Lengsavath consented to organize the the meeting of the Viet Nam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee in Da Nang City and the trade and investment promotion meeting in early 2015.
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In December only, PM Nguyen Tan Dung made crucial speeches at the Commemorative Summit marking the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-Republic of Korea (RoK) Dialogue Relations in Seoul, the RoK and the 5th Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit on December 19-20 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Speaking at the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-RoK Dialogue Relations, PM Dung asserted that the ASEAN and the RoK need to promote cooperation and support each other in ensuring regional peace, stability and security through current cooperative mechanisms as well as continuing to enhance economic cooperation by upgrading the RoK-ASEAN FTA and complete the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership negotiations by 2015.
Earlier at the talks between PM Nguyen Tan Dung and RoK President Park Geun-hye, the two sides exchanged views and consented to propose measures and solutions to boost up the Viet Nam-RoK Strategic Partnerhsip relations.
The Vietnamese PM, Thai PM Prayut Chan-ocha, Chinese Premiere Li Keqiang, Cambodian PM Samdech Hunsen, Lao PM Thoongsing Thammavong, Myanamar’s President Thein Sein and President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Takehiko Nakao attended at the 5thGMS Summit in Thailand on December 20.
PM Dung highlighted key factors in the subregion cooperation such as the balance between economic, human and environment, the sincerity in the cooperation between member countries and the participation of the business sector and the youth in contributions to the future of the GMS.
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The signing ceremonies of the Joint Statements on the conclusion of the negotiations of the FTA between Viet Nam and the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan (VCUFTA) and between Viet Nam and the RoK (VKFTA) are expected to make breakthroughs in terms of economics, trade, investment and tourism as well as creating a wave of investment in Viet Nam in the future.
Under the witness of PM Nguyen Tan Dung, Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang and Minister for Trade of the Eurasian Economic Commission Andrey Slepnev signed the Joint Statement on December 15 in Phu Quoc Island, Kien Giang Province.
The agreement includes contents on goods trade, service trade, investment, customs cooperation, sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS), technical barriers to trade (TBT) and legal and institutional issues.
Earlier on December 10, Minister Vu Huy Hoang and RoK Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy Yoon Sang-jick signed the Joint Statement during PM Nguyen Tan Dung’s working visit to the RoK.
The main contents of the agreement cover the trading of goods and services, investment, intellectual property, measures on food hygiene and safety, rules of origin, customs facilitation, trade defense, technical barriers in trade, e-commerce, institutions and law, and economic cooperation.
The Agreement not only accelerates the bilateral trade turnover to US$70 billion by 2020 but also upgrade the Viet Nam-RoK Strategic Partnership relations to a higher level.
These two Agreements will be signed in early 2015.
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From December 12-16, Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc led a Vietnamese delegation to pay official visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
During his visits, the Deputy PM attended and made speeches at the Viet Nam Days in Qatar and the UAE and the Viet Nam-Qatar and Viet Nam-UAE Economic Cooperation Forums.
The visits have helped connect the business community and investment activities between Viet Nam and Qatar and the UAE and promote cultural exchanges and mutual knowledge between the two sides’ people.
