Hanoi (VNA) – The Joint Committeeunder the Vietnam-EU Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation FrameworkAgreement (PCA) held the second meeting in both virtual and face-to-face formson December 15.

The event, co-chaired by Vietnamese DeputyForeign Minister To Anh Dung and Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific atthe European External Action Service (EEAS) Gunnar Wiegand, took place as thetwo sides mark the 30th founding anniversary of their diplomatic ties (November28) and four months after the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) came intoforce.

It also saw the presence of 40 Vietnameseofficials and over 50 representatives from the EEAS, the European Commission,the EU Delegation to Vietnam, and embassies of EU nations in the country.

The two sides reviewed bilateral cooperationsince the joint committee’s first meeting in May 2019, highlighting cooperationoutcomes of the four sub-committees. They also set up orientations for theirties for the time ahead.

Voicing their delight at the intensive andextensive development of Vietnam-EU relations over the past 30 years, Dung andWiegand emphasised the wish to continue strengthening the strategic cooperationthrough increasing all-level mutual visits, maintaining existing cooperationand dialogue mechanisms, working together to effectively implement the EVFTA,and push for EU member parliaments’ ratification of the EU-Vietnam InvestmentProtection Agreement (EVIPA) so as to help with both sides’ economic recovery.

Vietnam and the EU agreed to enhancecoordination in addressing consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, peacekeeping,as well as dealing with traditional security and maritime security issues andclimate change.

They also appreciated cooperation efforts andexpressed their willingness to keep working together fruitfully in such domainsas clean energy, sustainable fisheries development, and responsible timbertrade.

Deputy Minister Dung applauded the EU’s role inefforts to improve global governance, carry out the Asia-Europe connectivityplan, and promote the role of the Asia-Pacific region, including providingpractical and effective support for Vietnam in natural disaster prevention andcontrol, early flood warning, and climate change response.

For his part, Wiegand spoke of the EU’scooperation priorities in such areas as climate action and digitaltransformation while highly valuing Vietnam’s performance as a non-permanentmember of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021 and Chair of ASEAN this year.

He thanked the country for its significantcontributions to the reinforcement of ASEAN-EU relations, along with itssupport for the elevation of the ASEAN-EU ties to a strategic partnership. Theofficial also lauded Vietnam’s achievements in socio-economic development andCOVID-19 combat.

At the meeting, the EU affirmed its support formaintaining security and safety of navigation and overflight as well as upholdinglaw in the East Sea.

Holding Vietnam’s stature in the region in highregard, it stressed the increasingly important role of ASEAN in keepingregional peace, stability, security, and defence.

Meanwhile, Vietnam thanked the EU and its memberstates for demonstrating clearer and stronger viewpoints on many regional andinternational issues, including the East Sea one.

The two sides agreed to foster cooperation inglobal issues, actively support multilateralism, and help consolidate peace anddevelopment in the region and the world at large.

The third Joint Committee meeting is scheduledto take place in Hanoi in 2021./.