President Võ Văn Thưởng (right) hosted a reception for the visiting former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet.. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — President Võ Văn Thưởng appreciated former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet’s special sentiments on consolidating and promoting the traditional friendship and cooperation between Việt Nam and Chile, at their meeting in Hà Nội on Monday.

The President also lauded Bachelet, in her capacity as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, for her contributions to UN affairs and the international community.

According to him, the maintenance of all-level delegations is significant to enhancing cooperation between Việt Nam and Chile as well as their people.

For her part, Bachelet, who is in Việt Nam for the celebration of the 52nd anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (March 25, 1971-2023), said during her stay in the Southeast Asian nation, she will visit the southern province of Bình Dương and the central province of Nghệ An to foster cooperation between localities of the two countries and people-to-people exchange activities.

The guest expressed her special sentiments for Vietnamese land and people, and her admiration for the Vietnamese people’s indomitable and resilient spirit during their past struggle for national independence.

Both Việt Nam and Chile are members of the UN Human Rights Council and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which would facilitate the enhancement of the bilateral ties in the time ahead, both bilaterally and multilaterally, and enable them to join hands to fulfil common goals of the international community, for peace and development, especially climate change response, she noted.

Thưởng affirmed that Bachelet’s visit would contribute to consolidating cooperation between peoples and especially localities of the countries.

He highlighted the close ties between Việt Nam and Chile despite their far geographical distance, during both Việt Nam’s past struggle for national independence and its present cause of national construction and development.

He suggested the two countries take more measures to forge economic cooperation, for the sake of their businesses and people, step up collaboration at multilateral forums, and further coordinate in organising exchanges between localities and citizens. — VNS