Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on June 8 hosted a reception for visiting Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs Yvan Gil Pinto in Hanoi on June 8.

The PM affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to the traditional friendship and comprehensive partnership with Venezuela, and expressed his belief that the minister’s visit will contribute to enhancing the bilateral ties in the time ahead, especially in the areas where both countries have potential and demand, for the sake of their people, and for peace, cooperation and development in the two regions and the world.

Chinh suggested the two sides continue close coordination to step up all-level delegation exchanges, and implement measures to strengthen the bilateral relations as agreed during the Venezuela visit by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang in April, and the talks between the two foreign ministers on June 8.

𒅌 The Inter-governmental Committee should convene its next meeting soon to promote economic cooperation contents, he said, stressing the need to maintain mutual consultations at international organisations and multilateral forums, and push ahead with negotiations to reach cooperation agreements on consular affairs, trade, investment, education-training, digital transformation and cyberspace, locality-to-locality connection and people-to-people exchanges, thus creating a favourable legal corridor to deepen and further diversify the friendship and comprehensive partnership between the two countries.

Noting the bilateral trade and investment relations are still modest compared to the potential, the PM asked the two countries’ agencies to actively promote the exchange of business delegations, organise trade and investment promotion and trade connection activities; create favourable conditions for the two countries' key products to access each other's markets and tap mutually beneficial cooperation and investment opportunities.

For his part, Minister Iván Gil Pinto congratulated Vietnam on its achievements in all aspects, saying Vietnam is an example in socio-economic development and foreign relations for Venezuela to follow.

He affirmed that the Venezuelan Government attaches great importance to Vietnam's growing role and position in the region and the world at large.

Venezuela hopes to further tighten relations with Vietnam through all Party, Government, State, National Assembly and people-to-people exchange channels, he noted.

Pinto also briefed the host on the results of his meeting with Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of its Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung and his talks with Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, saying that the two sides had extensive discussions on issues of mutual concern, suggested specific measures and agreed on the bilateral cooperation programme in the coming time, especially in the fields of energy, telecommunications, construction, agriculture and pharmaceuticals.

Venezuela is willing to facilitate visa applications by Vietnamese citizens to promote people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, he said.

ꦦ The Venezuelan FM took the occasion to convey President Nicolás Maduro's regards to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and congratulations to President To Lam on his election./.