At a reception for Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Cecilia Piccioni in Hanoi on May 5, President Quang called for increased visit exchanges and cooperation in national defense and security, saying that their countries’ localities should be encouraged to establish cooperation.
President Tran Dai Quang and Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Cecilia Piccioni
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Vietnam will advocate Italy running for the post as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2017-2018 tenure, he affirmed. The State leader expressed his delight at the positive development of the two countries’ multi-faceted collaboration over the past years, which was reflected through their establishment of the strategic partnership in 2013 on the occasion of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to Italy, as well as the visit made by Italian President Sergio Mattarella to Vietnam last November.
The bilateral economic and trade ties have seen several effective cooperation models that need to be expanded upon in the time ahead, he added. The President suggested the two nations intensify high-level delegation exchanges, expand connectivity not only at ministerial level but also at local level, and step up collaboration in defence, security, culture, and education and training.
The diplomat confirmed that Italy attaches importance to its relations with Vietnam, especially after the visit to Vietnam by President Sergio Mattarella. Both host and guest shared the point of view that cooperation in politics, economics and culture are the three pillars in the Vietnam-Italy strategic partnership.
Vietnam values Italy’s role in the EU and the world and hopes the two countries’ strategic partnership will continue to grow and flourish, said President Tran Dai Quang. Vietnam and Italy should continue cooperation at global forums such as the United Nations, ASEAN-EU, and ASEM as well as in addressing global issues such as sustainable development, the State leader said.
He asked Italy to support Vietnam’s bid to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term and Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Hong Thao’s candidacy as a member of the International Law Commission (ILC). Quang also hailed the steady increase in two-way trade, which is expected to reach US$5 billion this year.
Ambassador Piccioni in turn said Italy also values its cooperation with Vietnam and a number of Italian ministerial-level delegations will visit the country later this year. She told the host that Vietnam is Italy’s biggest trade partner in ASEAN and Italy now ranks second in importing Vietnamese goods and fourth in exporting products to Vietnam among European countries.
Italy wants to promote cooperation with Vietnam on the 3 pillars of politics, economics, and culture, the Italian diplomat said, adding that Vietnam is Italy’s biggest partner in ASEAN. She used the occasion to extend President Sergio Mattarella’s invitation to pay a State visit to Italy to President Tran Dai Quang and he gladly agreed
President Tran Dai Quang also shared with Ambassador Cecilia Piccioni his deep impression on the visit to Italy on July, 2014 in his position as Minister of Public Security.
