Newly-appointed Foreign Minister (FM) Bui Thanh Son on April 14 held separate online conversations with Australian FM Marise Payne, Malaysian FM Hishammuddin Hussein and Philippine FM Teodoro Locsin Jr..
Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Newly-appointed Foreign Minister (FM) Bui Thanh
Son on April 14 held separate online conversations with Australian FM Marise
Payne, Malaysian FM Hishammuddin Hussein and Philippine FM Teodoro Locsin Jr..
During the conversations, Son affirmed that Australia, Malaysia, the
Philippines are important and reliable partners that share many strategic
interests with Vietnam.
He expressed his satisfaction with positive development steps in Vietnam’s
Strategic Partnerships with Australia, Malaysia and the Philippines in the
recent past, with political trust enhanced and trade and investment maintained
despite challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Australian, Malaysian and Philippine ministers congratulated Son on his
appointment as Vietnam’s FM, and congratulated Vietnam on its achievements in
pandemic control and socio-economic development as well as its successes in
external affairs when it was the ASEAN Chair in 2020 and is a non-permanent
member of the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure.
They agreed to closely coordinate to promote relations with Vietnam in all
aspects, with focus on promoting delegation exchanges, speeding up high-level
and all-level meetings in flexible forms, effectively implementing bilateral
cooperation mechanisms and agreements, strengthening and deepening security -
defence collaboration, and continuing to support each other in agricultural -
aquatic product exports, trade, investment and ODA cooperation.
Son thanked the Australian, Malaysian and Philippine governments for creating
favourable conditions for Vietnamese citizens living, studying and working in
the host countries, effectively coordinating in joint efforts to respond to the
pandemic, especially in arranging repatriation flights for Vietnamese citizens
and cooperation in safe and effective access to vaccine sources. He showed his
hope that Malaysia and the Philippines continue providing humanitarian
treatment to arrested Vietnamese fishermen and handle the cases in a goodwill
and cooperative manner.
Payne agreed to maintain the effective implementation of the Action Programme
to implement the Vietnam - Australia Strategic Partnership for 2020 - 2023, to
soon complete a strategy for strengthening bilateral economic cooperation.
Hishammuddin affirmed to work towards the early completion of the Action
Programme to implement the Vietnam - Malaysia Strategic Partnership for 2021 -
2025 and organise the sixth meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee for
Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation in Malaysia when conditions
permit.
Meanwhile, Locsin affirmed to coordinate with Vietnam in carrying out
activities to celebrate the 45th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations
in 2021, holding the 10th meeting of the Joint Committee on Bilateral
Cooperation at the foreign ministerial level, as well as effectively
implementing the Action Programme to implement the Strategic Partnership
between the two countries during 2019 - 2024.
Son thanked Australia, Malaysia and the Philippines for their
cooperation with and support to Vietnam when it took over its role as the ASEAN
Chair 2020 and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020 -
2021.
They also reached consensus on continue coordinating closely at multilateral
forms and in regional and international issues of mutual concern.
Son took
this occasion to invite the three ministers to visit Vietnam when conditions
permit and at an appropriate time. The Australia, Malaysia and the Philippine
ministers accepted the invitations with pleasure./.