Helsinki (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha met with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and held talks with Finnish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Rikka Purra in Helsinki on November 28 as part of his official visit to Finland.

During the discussions, President Stubb and Deputy PM Purra praised Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements. They confirmed that Vietnam is Finland’s key partner in Southeast Asia.

President Stubb expressed his pleasure at the sound relationship between the two countries and emphasised the importance of expanding cooperation in areas where Finland excels, such as energy, education, information technology, and the environment. He also shared his memories of meeting Vietnam's Party General Secretary and State President at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2024, expressing his desire to visit Vietnam soon. Ha highlighted Finland’s special role in supporting Vietnam’s green economic development, sustainable transformation, and the building of a circular economy. The two sides discussed international and regional issues, stressing the need for international cooperation to address both traditional and non-traditional security challenges.

The Vietnamese Deputy PM affirmed Vietnam’s support for Finland in strengthening its cooperation with ASEAN and shared views on the importance of multilateralism, international law, and peaceful resolution of conflicts. At the talks with Finnish Deputy PM and Minister of Finance Rikka Purra, the two sides recognised the potential for economic cooperation in renewable energy, forestry, digital transformation, education, and information technology. Purra committed to continued Finnish support for Vietnam in achieving its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 and encouraged businesses from both countries to fully tap the opportunities for collaboration.

Ha proposed that Finland create favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises, such as FPT and VinFast, to access the Finnish market and to accelerate the European Union’s ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). This agreement will be a key driver in boosting trade and investment between the two nations, he said.

In terms of financial cooperation, the two sides have made significant progress through agreements such as the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement and the Framework Agreement for projects using public investment funds. Ha noted that both countries could complement each other in this area, contributing to sustainable development. Additionally, Vietnam and Finland have collaborated extensively in multilateral forums, such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).

The Vietnamese Deputy PM also praised Finland’s world-leading education system, which attracts over 2,500 Vietnamese students. He proposed Finland to increase scholarships and support for Vietnamese students.

Earlier on November 27, Deputy PM Ha met with Finnish Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Kai Mykkänen, and Minister of Economic Affairs and Employment Wille Rydman. The meetings were aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and opening new opportunities in strategic areas such as environment, circular economy, and labour.

At the meetings, the two Finnish ministers affirmed that their country considers Vietnam an important partner in Southeast Asia and expressed their hope to deepen trade and comprehensive cooperation.

Mykkänen highlighted the potential for collaboration between Vietnam and Finland, particularly in clean energy and environmental economy. He shared Finland’s experience in building a circular economy through legal reforms, promoting waste recycling, phasing out fossil fuels, and developing sustainable energy solutions. He praised Vietnam’s efforts in energy transition and climate change response, reaffirming Finland’s readiness to assist Vietnam in reaching its “Net Zero” target by 2050.

Meanwhile, Rydman added that Finland is a European pioneer in developing a circular economy strategy for 2025. He stressed the potential for cooperation with Vietnam in areas such as mining, semiconductors, renewable energy, and digital transformation. On labour cooperation, the minister confirmed that Vietnam is a priority country for Finland’s international labour cooperation strategy and expressed Finland’s readiness to discuss and expand collaboration in this area, as well as support the training of high-quality human resources for Vietnam.

Ha welcomed Finland’s cooperation and expressed his hope for Finland to share its experience and support Vietnam in building a circular economy, enhancing plastic waste recycling, and developing renewable energy. He hailed Finland’s decision to prioritise Vietnam as a labour cooperation partner.

Ha invited Mykkänen and Rydman to attend the 4th Green Growth and Global Goals Forum (P4G) Summit that Vietnam will host in 2025.

The two sides exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual concern, emphasising the importance of multilateral cooperation, peace, and sustainable development in the face of global challenges.

✤ On the evening of November 28, Deputy PM Ha visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Finland and met with the Vietnamese community there. According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Finland Pham Thi Thanh Binh, nearly 16,000 Vietnamese people are working, living and studying in Finland./.