Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the phone talks with his Italian counterpart Mario Draghi on April 20. (Photo: VNA) The two leaders agreed to increaseexchanges at all levels, continue to effectively implement the action programme to deploy the strategic partnership for 2021 - 2023,as well as cooperation mechanisms such as the political consultation and thejoint committee for economic cooperation, and prepare for the 50th founding anniversaryof Vietnam-Italy diplomatic ties and 10 years of their strategic partnership in 2023.
They noted with satisfaction thatafter nearly two years since the EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) took effect, bilateral trade had recorded encouraging results. Despite the COVID-19pandemic, it reached 5.6 billion USD in 2021, up 20 percent from the previousyear.
PM Chinh spoke highly of Italy’sinclusion of Vietnam on its list of priority countries for trade and investmentcooperation in the post-2020 period, affirming that Vietnam will create thebest possible conditions for Italian businesses to expand investment in the Southeast Asian country.
He called on Italy to soon ratify the EU -Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), and urge the EU to remove the“yellow-card” warning against Vietnam’s seafood products, and recognise Vietnam’s “vaccine passports”, whileproviding favourable conditions for Vietnamese goods, especially agriculturaland food products, and seasonal fruits, to enter the Italian market.
Agreeing with his counterpart on the proposals to further deepen thestrategic partnership, PM Draghi pledged that the Italian government will push the parliament’s ratification of the EVIPA.
He noted Italian firms want tocontinue investing in Vietnam in the fields of renewable energy, infrastructure, water resourcesmanagement, and innovation.
PM Chinh thanked Italy for its activecoordination in dealing with the recent scam facing some cashew nut exporters inVietnam. In reply, PM Draghi said his country would look into the case and hasordered relevant agencies to prevent the hand-over of cashew nut containers.
On this occasion, PM Chinh sent his sincere thanks to the Italian PM,Government, and people for their timely supply of over 2.8 million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for Vietnam via the COVAX Facility.
During the talks, the Vietnamese leader highlighted the country’s strongcommitments made at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) regardinggreenhouse gas emissions and converting to a green and circular economy withthe aim of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
He asked Italy, as an importantmember of the G7 and the EU, to help Vietnam access finance and technology tocope with climate change, digital transformation, and develop a green economyand renewable energy.
The Italian PM highly valuedVietnam’s commitments at COP26, noting that his country is ready to assistVietnam in equitable energy transition.
The two PMs agreed that theircountries will coordinate closely at multilateral forums, including the UN,UNESCO, the Asia - Europe Meeting (ASEM), and the ASEAN - EU framework.
Besides, they also exchanged views oninternational and regional issues of shared concern, including the East Sea andthe importance of peaceful resolution of disputes on the basis of internationallaw and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
PM Chinh invited his counterpart to pay an official visit to Vietnam in thenear future. The Italian leader accepted the invitation with pleasure and alsoinvited PM Chinh to visit his country when possible./.
VNA
