Vietnamese President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (left) on November 26 met President of the Swiss National Council Andreas Aebi as part of his  official visit to Switzerland. - VNA photo

 BERN – Vietnamese President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on November 26 met President of the Swiss National Council Andreas Aebi as part of his official visit to Switzerland.

President Phúc said Việt Nam always attached importance to consolidating and enhancing the traditional friendship and cooperation with Switzerland, which had been nurtured by people of the two countries over the past 50 years.

On behalf of the Vietnamese State and people, he thanked Switzerland for its official development assistance (ODA) and support for Việt Nam in socio-economic development, helping the Southeast Asian country achieve many millennium development goals (MDGs) ahead of schedule.

President Phúc highlighted Switzerland’s donation of medical supplies to aid Việt Nam in the COVID-19 combat in August.

For his part, Aebi affirmed that Việt Nam was an important partner of Switzerland in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific at large, expressing his hope that President Phúc’s visit would create momentum to boost the bilateral ties in all spheres in the time ahead.

The two leaders noted with pleasure the positive development of the Việt Nam-Switzerland relationship, both bilaterally and multilaterally, and via the State and parliamentary channels.

They consented to take specific and strong measures to further step up cooperative ties, especially in economy, trade, investment, and innovation, to be on par with the potential and strength of the two countries, and tackle the pandemic's impacts.

Informing Aebi about his earlier talks with President Guy Parmelin, the Vietnamese leader called on the Swiss National Council to back joint efforts in enhancing and expanding collaboration in politics, economy, development cooperation, science-technology, and education-training, particularly the early signing of a free trade agreement between Việt Nam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) that comprises Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland, and the establishment of a priority partnership in innovation between Việt Nam and Switzerland.

President Phúc used this occasion to thank the Swiss National Council for its support for the bilateral ties, particularly for Việt Nam’s development assistance.

Aebi expressed his wish for stronger cooperation between the parliaments of the two countries and his support for strengthened economic ties, notably the early signing of the FTA between Việt Nam and the EFTA.

Switzerland stood ready to partner with Việt Nam in innovation, he said.

Aebi lauded contributions of the Vietnamese community in Switzerland to socio-economic development as well as cultural diversity of the host country.

President Phúc proposed the Swiss National Council continue to support and create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in Switzerland to work as a bridge to further promote bilateral relations.

At the meeting, President Phúc also conveyed National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ’s greetings and invitation to Aebi to visit Việt Nam.VNA/VNS