President Võ Văn Thưởng (right) had talks with President of the National Council of Switzerland Martin Candinas in Hà Nội on Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — As a friend, a reliable partner and an active and responsible member of the international community, Việt Nam wishes to enhance cooperation with Switzerland in all areas, President Võ Văn Thưởng told President of the National Council of Switzerland Martin Candinas during a reception in Hà Nội on Friday.

President Thưởng suggested Candinas back the strengthening of bilateral ties across the board, especially in politics-diplomacy, economy, trade and investment and at global and regional forums.

Việt Nam is making strong efforts to improve investment environment, thus creating more favourable conditions for foreign investors, including those from Switzerland, he said.

According to him, Switzerland is strong in finance, banking, manufacturing and renewable energy, which are also fields of Việt Nam's demand. He wished that with its role and position, Switzerland would urge other member states to soon conclude negotiations and sign the Việt Nam-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Free Trade Agreement to step up the pillar of investment and trade cooperation between the two countries in the coming time.

He thanked the Swiss Government for actively assisting Việt Nam in ODA supply, and hailed effective bilateral collaboration in tertiary education and wished that the two countries would further push forward people-to-people exchange, laying a solid foundation for bilateral ties in the future.

Candinas, for his part, said Switzerland always considers Việt Nam a priority country in developing cooperative relations.

Agreeing with the Vietnamese President’s proposals, he said Swiss firms wish to expand long-term operations in Việt Nam.

About the Việt Nam-EFTA free trade agreement, he said relevant agencies are actively completing talks to soon sign the document.

Switzerland will further step up coordination with Việt Nam in the field of education, especially vocational training, he said, adding that with its strengths in automation and robotics, Switzerland is ready to partner with Việt Nam in industrial production, contributing to deepening bilateral partnership in the time to come. — VNS