Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam alwaysattaches great importance to developing the traditional friendship with South Africa,the only African country that it has set up the partnership for cooperation anddevelopment with, stated Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister PhamBinh Minh Minh during his talks with SouthAfrica's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane in Hanoi on September7.

The two sides shared their delight atpositive growth of the bilateral ties over the past years, especially inpolitics-diplomacy, trade, defence and mining. They agreed on specific measuresto further bolster the Vietnam-South Africa partnership in the future, thus optimisingadvantages of each country.

Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said she is happy to visit Vietnam on the occasion of the 100th birthday ofthe African National Congress (ANC)’s late President O.R Tambo who came to Vietnam to learn the country's experience in nationalliberation in 1978.

The two sides concurred to continueincreasing delegation exchanges at all levels, especially high level ones. They said they will encourage and create favourable conditions for the strengthening ofpeople-to-people exchanges to foster solidarity and mutual understanding.

They agreed on the need to maintainand promote the efficiency of the Intergovernmental Partnership Forum as well asthe organisation of the forum’s fourth meeting in the first quarter of 2018 aspart of activities to mark the 25th anniversary of  Vietnam-SouthAfrica diplomatic ties.

Vietnam hopes for a visit by the SouthAfrican President in 2018, said Minh.

Both sides affirmed theirdetermination to raise two-way trade value to 2 billion USD per year, whilediscussing various measures to complete the target.

Minh proposed that South Africaconsider increasing import of Vietnam’s farm produce, processed food,footwear, garment and wood.

He also suggested that the two sides soon signa memorandum of understanding on cooperation in mining, and making it easier for the export of coal to Vietnam to meet the country’s demand,especially for thermal plants.

Regardingagriculture, after the success of the tri-party cooperation project on raisingthe productivity of rice and vegetables that Vietnam implemented in the Guinea Republic in 2008-2014, which was sponsored by South Africa, the two sidesconsidered to expand the trilateral cooperation model in other African nations.

The Vietnamese FM andMinister Mashabane also discussed measures to promote cooperation in nationaldefence, security, law, education-training and science-technology. They agreedto sign some legal documents in the near future to create a legal corridor fora more favourable bilateral cooperation. 

In addition, both sides committed to supporting each other at multi-lateral forums.FM Pham Binh Minh thanked South Africa for backing Vietnam to run for anon-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in 2020-2021 andexpressed his hope that the country will also support Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau's candidacy for the General Director position of UNESCO in 2017-2020.

They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutualconcerns, agreeing to foster cooperation between ASEAN and the Southern AfricanDevelopment Community, the two actively developing regional organisations in Asiaand Africa. 

The Vietnamese FM affirmed Vietnam's and ASEAN’s stance to solve disputes,including those in the East Sea, through peaceful measures in line with international law,including the 1982 United Nations Convention onthe Law of the Sea and asked for the support from South Africa.-VNA