Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh met on August 27 in Hanoi with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, currently on a working visit to Vietnam to co-chair the Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) over Augusut 27-28 in Hanoi.

At the meeting, the two sides affirmed that the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries have flourished over recent years and they consented to continue the exchange of high-level delegations at all levels, including Party, State, Government and National Assembly channels.

Bilateral economic and trade cooperation over the past years has well progressed, however, it is still far from matching the two countries’ full potential, they said.

The two sides agreed to organize the 4th meeting of the Vietnam-Sri Lanka Joint Commission next year and soon signed a memorandum of understanding on fishery cooperation over the next three years.  

They will prioritize and facilitate the expansion of cooperation in other potential areas such as education- training, telecommunications, information and digital technology, oil and gas, aviation connectivity, maritime transport, farm produce and seafood processing and distribution, cross- cultural and youth exchanges, arts, Buddhism, sports.

The Sri Lankan PM hailed the remarkable achievements in socio-economic development Vietnam has recorded over recent years while affirming his nation’s readiness to work closely with Vietnam at regional and international forums, especially in the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement.

PM Pham Binh Minh told his guest that Vietnam always attributes great importance to and wishes to further develop traditional friendship with Sri Lanka.

He thanked Sri Lanka for its support for Vietnam’s bid to run for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure, and suggested Sri Lanka have a stronger voice in the East Sea issue through its backing of the stance of Vietnam and ASEAN, particularly in the principles of freedom of navigation and aviation, adherence to international law, and peaceful settlement of disputes.

Source: vov.vn