PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc holds talks with Russian counterpart Medvedev – Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu Relations with key partners enhanced
The official visit to the Russian Federation from May 16-18 was the first visit to a foreign country of PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc. At the talks with Russian counterpart Medvedev, the two leaders affirmed the determination to promoting political trusts and Viet Nam-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership relations as well as exchanged and consented a number of measures to accelerate the bilateral relationship more effectively to meet their people’s demands.
Just a few days after that, PM Phuc paid an official visit to Japan to discuss with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe and agree to boost up the Viet Nam-Japan Extensive Strategic Partnership relations more comprehensively in the future.
After the talks, they witnessed their ministries and agencies to sign four agreements on Official Development Assistance (ODA) loans of around US$1.5 billion.
The official visit to Viet Nam from September 2-3 of Indian PM Narendra Modi was regarded as a crucial mark, opening a new period in their bilateral relationship. The two nations assented to upgrade their relationship to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership relations.
The other milestone in Viet Nam-India relations in 2016 was the official visit to India from December 8-12 of NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. On the sidelines of the visit, the two sides’ high-ranking leaders witnessed the signing ceremony of Agreements on nuclear energy development for peaceful purposes, cooperation in electricity development and setting plan to open direct Viet Nam-India air route by 2017.
During the French President Francois Hollande’s official visit to Viet Nam from September 5-7, he held talks and met with Vietnamese high-ranking leaders. The two sides affirmed the determination to promote their Strategic Partnership relations more intensively in all fields.
State President Tran Dai Quang co-chairs the press coenference with U.S. President Barack Obama – Photo: zing.vn
The success of State President Tran Dai Quang’s official visit to Italy from November 21-24 manifested the political determination of both sides’ leaders in enhancing Viet Nam-Italy more effectively. State President Quang and Italian leaders exchanged ways to strengthen cooperation in such areas as economics, trade and investment.
U.S. President Barack Obama’s official visit to Viet Nam from May 22-25 created a key mark in the two nations’ relationship. At the international press conference after the talks with State President Tran Dai Quang, the U.S. President official announced that “U.S. is fully lifting the ban on the sale of military equipment to Viet Nam that has been in place for some fifty years”.
PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping – Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu Relations with neighboring countries tightened
The official visit of PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc to China from September 10-15 was the first visit of a Vietnamese high-raking leader to the neighboring nation after the 12th Party Congress. In Beijing, the PM held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and met with Premier Li Keqiang.
PM Phuc and Chinese leaders consented to deepen Viet Nam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership relations as well as exchanged issues of international and regional concerns.
The two sides issued the Joint Statement and signed nine cooperative documents during the visit.
Five high-ranking visits between Laos and Viet Nam were organized in 2016 including: Party General Secretary and President Bounnhang Volachith’s official visit to Viet Nam from April 25-27, Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong’s official visit to Laos from November 24-26, State President Tran Dai Quang’s State visit to Laos from June 12-14, PM Thongloun Sisoulith’s official visit to Viet Nam from May 15-17 and NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan’s official visit to Laos from September 26-27.
During these visits, the two sides’ leaders expressed their desires to strengthen Viet Nam-Laos special relations more effectively and comprehensively to meet their people’s prospects and for the international and regional peace, stability, cooperation and development.
The year 2016 was also regarded as an eventful year for Viet Nam-Cambodia relationship with three remarkable visits of State President Tran Dai Quang’s official visit to Cambodia from June 15-16, Cambodian PM Hun Sen’s official visit to Viet Nam from December 20-21 and NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan’s official visit to Cambodia from June 27-28.
Important talks and meetings of the two nations’ leaders confirmed their expectations to see their traditional and comprehensive relations to continue thriving.
Within the framework of Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s official visit to Viet Nam from September 28-29, the two sides asserted their mutual support to successful fulfill the role of the Philippines as Chair of ASEAN 2017 and Viet Nam APEC 2017.
They also committed to further coordinating and making efforts with ASEAN nations to highlight the unification and the central role of ASEAN in the region.
A Joint Statement was issued after the official visit of State President Tran Dai Quang’s official visit to Singapore from August 26-28, which affirmed to promote cooperation in all fields of politics, security, national defense, economics, trade, investment, culture, education and people-to-people exchanges.
Bilateral diplomatic highlights in 2016 manifested Viet Nam’s consistent policy to realize the foreign policy guideline of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development and a foreign policy characterized by openness, diversification and multi-lateralization of international relations, pro-active integration into the world in the spirit of being a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community in an endeavor for a powerful and wealthy socialist Viet Nam, thus contributing to peace, national independence, democracy and social progress in the world over.
By Thuy Dung