Party General Secretary and President meets with world leaders
Party General Secretary and State President To Lam met with President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev, President of Finland Alexander Stubb, and Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah in New York on September 24 (local time), on the sidelines of the UN Summit of the Future and the High-Level General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly’s 79th session.
Party General Secretary and State President To Lam (L) and President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev (Photo: VNA)
New York (VNA) – Party General Secretary and State President To Lam met with President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev, President of Finland Alex💛ander Stubb, and Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah in New York on September 24 (local time), on the sidelines of the UN Summit of the Future and the High-Level General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly’s 79th session.
Meeting the Bulgarian President, Lam affirmed that Vietnam always values and wishes to further strengthen its multifaceted cooperation with Bulgaria. Vietnam always appreciates and remembers the Bulgarian people's assistance to Vietnam in the past struggle for independence and in the current national construction, he stressed.
He welcomed President Rumen Radev’s plan to visit Vietnam and suggested continued support for the Vietnamese community in Bulgaria to settle down their lives, successfully integrate into the host society, and become a bridge to foster bilateral relations.
The Vietnamese leader urged both countries to maximise the potential of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) to elevate their bilateral ties. He also called on Bulgaria to advocate for the swift ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) by EU member states and prompt the European Commission to lift the "yellow card" warning on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing on Vietnam's seafood exports.
The Bulgarian President responded positively to Lam's proposals, underscoring Bulgaria's dedication to its relationship with Vietnam. He expressed personal enthusiasm for his forthcoming visit and pledged to boost cooperation in areas such as health care, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, IT, agriculture, and natural resources and environmental management.
Bulgaria, he added, is ready to welcome Vietnamese workers.
Both sides agreed to jointly hold cultural and art activities to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year.
Party General Secretary and State President To Lam (L) and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. (Photo: VNA)
At his meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, the Party General Secretary and State President affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to strengthening the two countries’ traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation. He expressed gratitude to the Finnish government and people for their support during Vietnam's past hardships and in its development journey, particularly in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Lauding Finland's ratification of the EVIPA, Lam noted that it will create new cooperation opportunities for businesses from both nations.
On this occasion, he proposed that both sides continue maintaining and boosting all-level exchanges, further reinforcing the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and expanding collaboration in education, training, and culture-sport exchanges to enhance their people’s mutual understanding and friendship.
The top leader of Vietnam also called on the Finish side to continue paying attention to the situation in the East Sea and supporting the protection of nations’ legitimate rights and interests under international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
President Stubb praised positive developments in the bilateral relationship and affirmed Finland’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Vietnam.
He noted that the European nation would continue to encourage its enterprises to invest in potential sectors in Vietnam, such as telecommunications, renewable energy, water management, forest technology, and information technology. He also expressed his hope that Vietnam would continue to serve as a bridge in fostering relations between Finland and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Both leaders agreed to work closely together to fully leverage the opportunities presented by the EVIPA, while continuing to enhance cooperation and mutual support at multilateral forums, particularly at the UN and within the ASEAN-EU partnership framework.
They also discussed several international and regional issues of shared concern.
Party General Secretary and State President To Lam (R) and Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah (Photo: VNA)
At the meeting with Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, Lam affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to and wishes to promote the good friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Kuwait. He suggested that the two sides continue to exchange all-level delegations and effectively implement existing cooperation mechanisms.
“Vietnam is willing to welcome Kuwaiti enterprises to increase investment in Vietnam in new areas such as green growth, climate change response, and Halal food,” he noted.
The Kuwaiti Crown Prince appreciated Vietnam's socio-economic development achievements after nearly 40 years of Doi Moi (renewal) and affirmed that Kuwait considers Vietnam one of the leading partners in the Southeast Asian region.
Kuwait is ready to expand cooperation in tourism, labour and Halal food with Vietnam and support the country to strengthen cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), he said.
The Crown Prince agreed to coordinate with Vietnam to handle difficulties at the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in the central province of Thanh Hoa, considering this a project of symbolic significance for the success of bilateral relations./.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and State President To Lam met with leaders of international technology corporations and investment funds on September 23 (local time) in New York as part of his trip to the US to attend the high-level week of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.
Party General Secretary and State President To Lam has expressed his belief that Vietnam and India will soon raise their bilateral trade to 20 billion USD, and even more than 30 billion USD by 2030, doubling the figure last year.
Party General Secretary and State President To Lam on the morning of September 23 (local time) met with experts and scholars at Columbia University, in the framework of his working trip to the US for the UN Future Summit and related events.
The Party and State of Vietnam always attach great importance to and give top priority to the development of Vietnam–China relations. Vietnam is ready to work with the Chinese Party and State to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and promote the building of the Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.
Under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh and the CPV, President Cuong said, the press has been a steadfast force on the ideological and cultural front, rallying the masses to pursue national aspirations.
NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man stressed the need to accelerate the application of artificial intelligence and smart teaching equipment, innovate teaching and assessment methods, and further improve the quality of formal education.
He also pledged that the NA will promote its ongoing supervision, making sure that every promise must lead to results, and every commitment must bring about real changes.
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien welcomed the proposals put forward by the US side and reiterated Vietnam’s request for consideration of key areas of interest, including reciprocal tariff policies and access for Vietnamese key export products to the US market.
Deputy PM Le Thanh Long proposed countries promote shared values, including building trust, sincerity, and solidarity among nations and peoples; fostering cooperation spirit and responsible behaviour as well as upholding international law and the UN Charter; and placing people at the centre and as the goal, the key player, and the driving force of all policies.
The show, together with a grand parade to be held silmutaneously at Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi, will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution, the National Day, and the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA).
In particular, in April 2023, the two sides successfully carried out a joint operation that dismantled a major organised, transnational drug trafficking ring involving both Vietnamese and Cambodian suspects.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel is closely coordinating with relevant local agencies to stay informed and provide the utmost support possible for Vietnamese nationals.
The launch of Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, even before the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam, is considered a testament to President Ho Chi Minh’s strategic foresight and strong belief in the guiding power of the revolutionary media.
New Zealand is currently one of Vietnam’s most important partners in the region, marked by a high level of political trust, strong and reliable defence and security cooperation, and increasingly open economic, trade, and investment ties.
Party General Secretary To Lam stressed that the Central Public Security Party Committee must be fully aware of the extremely important role of the People's Public Security force in the country's new revolutionary phase, so as to guide each branch and level of the force as the nation undergoes transformation.
Addressing concerns over university education spending, Son explained that as public universities gain greater autonomy, the Ministry of Finance has scaled back recurrent state funding. “Over the past decade, as autonomy has increased, the State's support has steadily declined”, he noted
Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane affirmed that the presence of Vietnamese press offices in Laos vividly demonstrates the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations, as the press is not only a means of communication but also an important bridge for spreading consciousness about the history, values, and strategic depth of the Laos – Vietnam relationship to the people of both countries and the international community.
The country is willing to participate in collective efforts to promote cooperation and mobilise resources to advance the current priority issues of developing countries, such as trade, investment, infrastructure connectivity, making the most of scientific and technological advances for development, and people-to-people exchanges, Hang said.
During the negotiations, the US highly evaluated Vietnam’s goodwill and efforts, affirmed its appreciation for the bilateral relationship, acknowledged Vietnam’s proposals and concerns, and considered these an important basis for continuing discussions and moving towards a final agreement.
The Chairman stressed the need for stricter fiscal discipline, faster digital transformation, and more efficient management of State budget revenues and expenditures.
