Vietnam, Malta step up cooperation across multiple fields

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang held talks in Hanoi on January 23 with Christopher Cutajar, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Malta, who is on a visit to Vietnam.

In an open, candid and friendly atmosphere, Hang said she was pleased to meet Cutajar again at a special time as Vietnam holds the 14th National Party Congress. She underlined the significance of the visit, saying it will help advance cooperation agreed at their meeting in Malta in September last year and open up new opportunities for collaboration between the two countries at both bilateral and multilateral levels.

For his part, Cutajar extended congratulations on the 14th National Party Congress, and said he was impressed by Vietnam’s long-term development vision and strategic goals towards 2030 and 2045. He noted growing interest in and desire for cooperation with Vietnam in Malta, and reaffirmed Malta’s wish to further expand substantive cooperation in the coming period.

The two sides agreed to step up exchanges and contacts at all levels, particularly at the high level and between the two foreign ministries, and to enhance the ministries’ role in promoting links and cooperation between ministries, sectors and localities. Hang took the occasion to convey an invitation from Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung to Maltese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Ian Borg to visit Vietnam.

On economic, trade and investment cooperation, the Vietnamese diplomat spoke highly of Malta’s role as a trans-shipment hub in the Mediterranean, and called on Malta to continue to leverage its position as an EU member to encourage the remaining countries in the bloc to soon ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), and to support the European Commission’s early removal of the “yellow card” imposed on Vietnam’s seafood exports.

Cutajar affirmed Malta’s desire to boost trade, cooperation and investment with Vietnam in areas of strength such as maritime services, seafarer training, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, education and tourism, and said Malta stands ready to coordinate business delegations to explore cooperation opportunities.

The officials welcomed the establishment of a political consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries, and agreed to promote cooperation in education and training, people-to-people exchanges and tourism, as well as to strengthen their role in enhancing cooperation between Malta and Southeast Asia, and between Vietnam, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the EU. They reiterated mutual support at international forums and organisations, and reaffirmed their commitment to the UN Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Regarding the East Sea issue, the two sides stressed their shared stance and the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the waters.

During his visit, Cutajar also held a working session with the leadership of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, and met its students./.