Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (r) receives Chilean Ambassador Jaime Chomali Garib in Hà Nội on Tuesday. –VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI – Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc held separate meetings with the ambassadors of Chile and Canada in Hà Nội on Tuesday. Meeting with Chilean Ambassador Jaime Chomali Garib, the Government leader urged Việt Nam and Chile to promote trade ties as they had substantial potential for collaboration in this field. 

Ministries, agencies and businesses from the two countries should study each other’s markets, he suggested. 

Talking about Chile’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-Operation (APEC) forum in 2019, PM Phúc pledged that Việt Nam would actively support the country in organising the event and asked Chile to arrange bilateral meetings on the occasion of the forum. 

Việt Nam wanted to maintain the operation of the free trade council mechanism in order to make use of co-operation opportunities, he said, noting that the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which had come into force recently, would help both countries participate deeper in the global value chain. 

Jaime Chomali Garib highlighted the strong development of the Việt Nam-Chile relationship, especially after they became APEC members. 

With its foreign policy focusing on Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia, Chile had registered to become a partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he said, calling for Việt Nam’s support in this regard. 

The diplomat also expressed his hope that Việt Nam would participate constructively in the international conference on climate change which Chile will host this year. 

He noted rapid progress in bilateral trade since the two countries signed a free trade agreement in 2011, with efforts being made to step up trade in fruit.

He added that Chile wanted to co-operate with Việt Nam in start-up and space projects. 

At the meeting with Canadian Ambassador Deborah Anne Paul, PM Phúc said the relationship between Việt Nam and Canada was at its best level ever in all spheres, from economy to national defence and security. 

He asked the diplomat to make greater efforts to promote bilateral trade, suggesting that the Canadian side organise more trips to Việt Nam for Canadian enterprises to study the market.

Deborah Anne Paul stressed that trade and investment ties were a priority for the two countries which shared common viewpoints on multilateral trade institutions. 

Canada was ready to support Việt Nam in assuming the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020, she said, adding the two countries would organise activities to mark the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2019. – VNS