Vietnam’s Phuc meets Myanmar President U Win Myint
VIETNAMESE Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with Myanmar President U Win Myint in Naypyidaw on Tuesday, during which the two leaders discussed bilateral cooperation in various spheres.
They agreed that the comprehensive cooperative partnership between Vietnam and Myanmar had been growing fruitfully, while friendship, mutual understanding and political trust had been enhanced through high-level visits and meetings, and people-to-people exchanges.
Phuc said Vietnam wanted to step up relations with Myanmar for the sa ke of t he t wo countries’ peoples, and for peace, cooperation and the development of A sea n a nd t he region.
The leaders had high praise for ties in the fields of economy, trade and investment, defence and security, agriculture, tourism, energy, and information and telecoms.
Two-way trade is expected to exceed $1 billion this year, surpassing the target set for next year, and Vietnam is now the fifth-largest foreign investor in Myanmar.
Phuc asked U Win Myint to continue ensuring the rights of Vietnamese investors in Myanmar while holding meetings between Myanmar leaders and Vietnamese businesses in the country.
The two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in culture, sports, labour and education and training.
On regional and international issues, the two leaders said they would continue supporting each other at regional and international forums.
Regarding the East Sea – internationally known as the South China Sea, the two leaders said Vietnam,
Myanmar and other Asean member countries needed to back the group’s stance on settling disputes via peaceful measures based on respect for international law.
U Win Myint said he supported strengthening collaboration in all channels t o obtain important achievements for the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year.
He took the occasion to congratulate Vietnam on its election as a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term.
Phuc’s ongoing visit will help boost the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, he said, stressing that Vietnam was always a trusted and supportive friend of Myanmar.
The same day, Phuc met with Speaker of the Union Assembly of Myanmar T Khun Myat.
The speaker had high praise for Vietnam’s reform achievements, which he said had turned Vietnam into one of the fastest-growing economies in the region, noting that as a country now in the reform process, Myanmar hopes Viet Nam will share its experience in economic development.
High-level delegation exchanges have been held frequently, including a trip to Vietnam by Myanmar pa rl ia ment’s leader i n 2017 a nd a v i s i t to Mya n ma r by Nat iona l Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in 2016.
The two sides have also worked together at multilateral and regional parliamentary forums, especially the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA). The countries’ friendship parliamentary groups and legislators have also engaged in exchanges and experience sharing.
Khun Myat thanked Vietnam for supporting Myanmar at international forums, including the UN, Asean and AIPA.
Phuc asked the two parliaments to work together to monitor the realisation of cooperation agreements, including the action programme for implementing the Vietnam-Myanmar comprehensive cooperative partnership for 2019-2024 that was inked on Tuesday morning.
He also called on the two parliaments to support mechanisms, policies and laws to boost the two countries’ trade and investment ties.
The prime minister took the occasion to ask for the Myanmar parliament’s close coordination with Vietnam when the latter acts as Asean Chair and AIPA Chair next year.