State visit reflects Ireland’s prioritisation of cooperation with VN
The upcoming State visit to Vietnam by Irish President Michael D. Higgins shows that Ireland prioritises cooperation with the country, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan said.
Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan (Photo: The Irish Times)
Dublin (VNA) – The upcoming State visit to Vietnam by💟 Irish President Michael D. Higgins shows that Ireland prioritises cooperation with the Southeast Asian nation, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flan🥂agan said.
Flanagan made the remark during an interview with Vietnam News Agency ahead of the State visit, the first to Vietnam by President Higgins, from November 5-14.
The two countries have made strides in cooperation since their diplomatic relationship was set up on April 5, 1996. They have regularly exchanged high-ranking delegations and coordinated at international forums.
Bilateral trade reached 402 million USD in 2015, up 28 percent from the previous year. It hit 798 million USD in the first nine months of 2016, rising three-fold from same period last year, including 82 million USD of Vietnamese exports.
Vietnam mainly ships timber and wood products, footwear and garments to Ireland while importing medicine materials, computers and electronic components.
Ireland currently has 17 investment projects a combined capital of 20.7 million USD in Vietnam, ranking 67 th among 115 countries and territories investing here.
Vietnam is the only Asian nation among nine countries Ireland prioritises providing development assistance to. Ireland gave 150 million USD in non-refundable aid to Vietnam between 2007 and 2016, focusing on poverty reduction, support for vulnerable groups, and improving economic management.
In November 2011, Ireland announced a national strategy for the two countries’ development cooperation for 2011-2015 period that aimed to assist the realisation of the Vietnamese Government’s socio-economic development plan for the five years. The Irish Government is expected to reveal a similar national strategy for 2017-2020 soon.
Education – training is a highlight in bilateral relations. Ireland has granted more than 180 scholarships for Vietnam in recent years through the Irish Aid IDEAS Scholarships programme.
Defence cooperation is another focus of the two sides’ collaboration. A senior delegation of Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defence visited Ireland in April 2009, to collaborate in addressing post-war unexploded ordnance, Agent Orange consequences, and in search and rescue missions.
Ireland has also paid attention to agricultural ties with the Southeast Asian nation. In November 2014, Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine inked a memorandum of understanding on agricultural cooperation.
At a working session between ministers Nguyen Xuan Cuong and Andrew Doyle last September, Vietnam suggested cooperation with Ireland be bolstered in training on the management of modern agriculture, sharing experience in developing organic agriculture, building a food safety management system, origin tracing and promoting cooperation in cattle rearing.-VNA
Irish President Michael D. Higgins tells the Vietnam News Agency that Ireland and Vietnam have the current challenge of forging an equitable growth model.
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.
Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan (Photo: The Irish Times)
