Pretoria (VNA) – A delegation of theCommunist Party of Vietnam (CPV) led by Pham Minh Chinh, Politburo member,Secretary of CPV Central Committee (CPVCC) and head of its Commission for Organisation,paid a working visit to South Africa from July 27-31.

The visit was made at the invitation of the African National Congress (ANC) rulingparty.

While in South Africa, Chinh held talks with ANC President and President of thehost country Cyril Ramaphosa, and General Secretary of the South AfricanCommunist Party (SACP) Blade Nzimande, who is also Minister of HigherEducation, Science and Technology.

The official and his entourage also had a working session with representativesof the University of South Africa, and met with the Vietnamese community andthe staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in the country.

South African leaders spoke highly of the visit and lauded Vietnam’s role andposition in the region and the world at large.

They affirmed the importance they attach to promoting the traditionalsolidarity and friendship between the two countries via party and statechannels, and expressed their wish to visit Vietnam to learn from the country’sexperience in national construction and development, party building andrectification, anti-corruption and high-ranking party official training.

The hosts suggested enhancing bilateral cooperation in diplomacy, economy,trade, national defence and security, agriculture, education-training, energyand people-to-people exchanges.

They also expressed their viewpoints on settling East Sea disputes by peacefulmeasures and on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 UNConvention on the Law of the Sea.

Chinh proposed orientations and measures to boostthe traditional relations between the CPV and the ANC and the SACP, as well asthe partnership for cooperation and development between the two countries.

Host and guests agreed to step up the exchange of delegations and the sharingof information and experience in organisation, management and personneltraining.

They consented to soon the organise the fourth meeting of the Vietnam-SouthAfrica Trade Committee in Hanoi, increase measures to consolidate the legalframework for the bilateral collaboration, and create favourable conditions forcooperation in diplomacy, economy, trade, investment, agriculture, energy,national security and defence.

They will also create optimal conditions for Vietnamese to live and work inSouth Africa, continue their close and effective coordination at multilateralregional and international forums, and support each other in expandingrelations with political parties and countries in the respective regions.-VNA