National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue proposed the two sides continue to enhance cooperation and exchange delegations through all channels and further coordinate closely at multilateral forums, thus contributing to peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.
During the visit, Candinas held talks with Chairman Hue, paid a courtesy call to President Vo Van Thuong and met Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called for Swiss investments in such areas as finance-banking, insurance, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, agricultural processing, renewable energy and tourism. He suggested Switzerland continue pushing ahead with negotiations for a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) for mutual benefits.
During talks and meetings, the Vietnamese leaders spoke highly of Candinas’s visit, saying that it is an opportunity to raise mutual understanding, deepen comprehensive relations and discuss measures to foster friendship and all-around ties between Vietnam and Switzerland, as well as between their legislative bodies.
Candinas said Switzerland is one of the first western European countries to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam, and until now, their bilateral relations have been growing in both bilateral and multilateral aspects.
He vowed to continue bolstering cooperation between the two countries.
Switzerland always considers Vietnam a strategic partner in Southeast Asia, he said, adding that his visit aims to reaffirm and implement the foreign policy.
Regarding the two-way trade turnover of approximately 810 million USD last year and Swiss investment in Vietnam worth nearly 2 billion USD, Leaders of both countries said the figures are not commensurate with their potential. They agreed to accelerate the negotiation process and signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which consists of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
Candinas stated that Switzerland has paid due attention to promoting investment, trade, technology, and knowledge, hence it hoped that the FTA could be inked next year.
He went on to say that Switzerland wants to increase investment, trade cooperation and effective economic cooperation, helping to realise Vietnam's goal of becoming a developed and high-income country by 2045. There are currently about 100 Swiss enterprises in the Southeast Asian country that create jobs for about 120,000 local workers.
Candinas said Switzerland welcomes Vietnam's commitment at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), saying that both countries have a common goal of sustainable development, therefore, the European nation is ready to cooperate for the two sides to achieve this goal.
While in Vietnam, Candinas also held working sessions with Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and several economic establishments in Hai Duong and Hai Phong.
His visit was an important parliamentary diplomatic activity that marks the resumption of high-level delegation exchanges between the two countries following the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to deepening the close and reliable relationship between the two countries in various fields./.
Q.Hoa t.h / TTXVN
