HÀ NỘI – Việt Nam and Myanmar have agreed to further enhance political and diplomatic ties via increasing all-level visits and contacts through Party, government, State, National Assembly channels and people-to-people exchange.

The agreement was reached during talks between President Trần Đại Quang and Myanmar President Htin Kyaw following the welcome ceremony in Hà Nội yesterday.

The two Presidents also shared the view that the two countries should maintain existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms such as the Inter-Committee on Vietnam-Myanmar Bilateral Cooperation, the deputy ministerial-level political consultation, and the Inter-Committee on Trade, among others.

They pledged to deepen mutually-beneficial trade and investment.

Việt Nam is currently the 10th largest trade partner and investor in Myanmar. Both sides are actively working together on 12 priority fields of agriculture, industrial plants, fisheries, finance-banking, aviation, telecommunications, oil and gas, mining, electrical devices, automobile assembly, construction, and trade and investment.

President Kyaw, who is on a State visit to Việt Nam from Wednesday to Friday, hailed the efficient operation of the Association of Vietnamese Investors in Myanmar, and affirmed that the Myanmar government will provide favourable conditions for investors in the fields of banking, telecommunications, aviation, mining and tourism.

The two State leaders shared the view on common interest in regional peace and security, and affirmed their commitment to enhancing national defence-security ties via the sharing of experience and information, as well as optimising existing cooperation mechanisms.

They pledged to promptly establish mechanisms for deputy ministerial-level defence policy dialogue and a joint working group of the defence ministries’ external relations departments.

They agreed to hold the fourth security dialogue in the near future, and push ahead with negotiations for the signing of an agreement on extradition and another one on the transfer of sentenced persons between the two countries.

Both host and guest expressed their pleasure with the increasingly strong ties across agriculture, telecommunications, transport, justice, culture, education, tourism, people-to-people exchange, and agreed to sign agreements to create a legal framework for partnerships in specific areas.

The two leaders vowed to boost people-to-people exchange and culture-tourism collaboration, believing that mutual understanding and the sharing of cultural values are a firm foundation for mutual trust and long-term bond between the two nations.

On regional and global issues of shared concern, they vowed to work with other ASEAN member states to accelerate the building of the ASEAN Community via the effective and full implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the promotion of ASEAN’s central role in regional architecture. The two sides will also work to increase cooperation in the sustainable and effective use of Mekong River water resources, especially within the framework of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and related organisations.

On the occasion, the Myanmar President said the country will consider joining the MRC.

Regarding the East Sea (South China Sea) issue, the Presidents pledged to promote peace, security, stability, maritime and aviation safety and freedom, as well as unhindered trade in the region, especially in the East Sea. They called on parties concerned to exercise restraint, refrain from the use of force or threat to use force, fully respect diplomatic and legal process, settle disputes by peaceful means in line with basic principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The two Presidents reiterated their support of the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and the cooperation for finalisation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.

The same day, President Htin Kyaw paid a courtesy call to Party Secretary General Nguyễn Phú Trọng, met Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc and received several Vietnamese business representatives. — VNS