Riyadh (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a meeting with the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Saudi Arabia on October 29 evening (local time), as part of his ongoing trip to the Middle Eastern country.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dang Xuan Dung said at the meeting that the PM's trip is a new important milestone in the relationship between Vietnam and Saudi Arabia, which will create new motivations for the growth of bilateral ties.

He said that over the years, the embassy has shown solid performance in all fields, especially in promoting economic, trade and investment between the two countries, contributing to pushing two-way trade to 2.7 billion USD in 2023 and 2.21 billion USD in the first nine months of 2024. Citizen protection activities have also received great attention, he said.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese engineers working in Saudi Arabia thanked the Party and State for their attention, affirming that they will do their best to make contributions to the development of the homeland and bring the brainpower and culture of Vietnam closer to international friends.

Chinh expressed empathy for the challenges faced by Vietnamese workers working far from home and acknowledged the significant potential for expanding relations with the Middle East, Africa, and Saudi Arabia. In light of this and as part of his current trip, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia aim to bolster political trust, increase high-level exchanges, and work towards upgrading their relationship. The two countries are also considering negotiations on a free trade agreement and an investment protection agreement to enhance cooperation across trade, investment, labor, and other fields.

During the meeting, PM Chinh provided an update on Vietnam’s domestic situation and development goals, expressing his appreciation for the efforts and achievements of the Vietnamese Embassy in Saudi Arabia.

He encouraged the embassy to continue its efforts to protect the rights and legitimate interests of Vietnamese citizens as swiftly and effectively as possible and to foster stronger connections with the Vietnamese community.

He also proposed establishing a Vietnamese Association in Saudi Arabia and expanding the promotion of Vietnam's culture, cuisine, and people through suitable and effective channels.

He said that amid the growing ties between Vietnam and Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Transport and the Vietnam Airlines JSC as well as other airlines of Vietnam should consider the launching of direct air routes linking the Middle-East country.

The Government leader said he hopes Vietnamese workers in Saudi Arabia will continue to introduce their fellows to work here, and asked relevant agencies to design and implement training programmes and send more Vietnamese workers to Saudi Arabia to work.

Additionally, the PM mentioned that during this visit, he will request Saudi authorities to further facilitate stable and create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese in the coun♛try, supporting their legal rights and interests in work, study, and daily life./.