Hanoi (VNA) –President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the EuropeanCommission Ursula von der Leyen have sent congratulations to President Nguyen PhuTrong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the 30th founding anniversary ofVietnam-EU diplomatic ties.

In their letters, the two EU leaders applaudedVietnam’s swift and decisive actions to contain the spread of COVID-19, therebysuccessfully curbing the outbreak and minimising deaths. They also offeredcondolences to the families of victims in floods in central Vietnam lastOctober and wished the injured to soon recover.

They held that over the last 30 years, Vietnamhas witnessed many developments, from the implementation of the Doi moi(Renewal) policy; the normalisation of relations with the EU, the US, andChina; and its joining in ASEAN to extensive structural reforms and thestrategy for socio-economic development via global integration.

These have helped Vietnam become one of thefastest growing economies in the world, according to them.

Given the settlement of important globalchallenges requiring active participation of both Europe and Asia, theofficials congratulated Vietnam on its constructive role as Chair of ASEAN in2020.

The EU pledges to further intensify the EU-ASEANcooperation and welcomes the official establishment of the EU-ASEAN strategicpartnership at the ministerial meeting on December 1, Michel and Leyen noted.

Vietnam is also now an active member in theworld, ready to assume growing international obligations, and share the EU’sstrong commitment to multilateralism, they said, adding that the currentpandemic is a global crisis that needs international solidarity and cooperationbeyond territorial limits.

In their letters, the Presidents of the EuropeanCouncil and Commission said over the last three decades, the EU-Vietnampartnership has developed unceasingly, supported by important agreementscovering different domains, from politics, trade, and defence to anti-illegallogging.

By jointly building a stronger partnership, theEU and Vietnam can together handle global challenges, and as a long-standingfriend of Vietnam, the EU welcomes the two sides discussing difficult issues inan open, straightforward and constructive manner, they affirmed.

The officials noted the EU-Vietnam partnershipis first and foremost for the sake of the Vietnamese and European people, anddevelopment cooperation will remain an important element in the EU’s commitmentto Vietnam.

They expressed the willingness to enhancecooperation with Vietnam in dealing with major global challenges, therebytogether contributing to peace and development in the world.

Michel and Leyen also said they hope to visitVietnam at appropriate points of time./.