Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính had talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) in Ankara on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

ANKARA — Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính had a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday, as part of his visit to the Middle Eastern country.

The Turkish President highly appreciated the historical significance of PM Chính's official visit, especially at a time when Việt Nam and Türkiye are commemorating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations, marking the beginning of a new era in bilateral ties.

President Erdogan stressed Türkiye attaches importance to the development of multifaceted cooperation with Việt Nam, a country of special significance in Southeast Asia.

He expressed gratitude for the valuable support that the Vietnamese government and people provided to the Turkish people in overcoming the consequences of the earthquake in February 2023. President Erdogan praised the enthusiasm and high professionalism of the rescue team sent by the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Public Security to Türkiye to help deal with the disaster's aftermath.

PM Chính expressed his joy in visiting the beautiful country of Türkiye on the occasion of its 100th National Day, congratulating Turkey on its significant achievements in becoming one of the world's top 20 economies, as well as its many contributions to the maintenance of peace, cooperation and development in the Middle East region and globally.

Both leaders agreed on several specific measures to further enhance multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.

In terms of politics and diplomacy, they agreed to promote cooperation between the Communist Party of Việt Nam and the ruling Justice and Development Party of Türkiye (AKP), as well as between the governments and parliaments of both countries.

The two countries' leaders exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, emphasising the importance of adhering to international law to ensure peace, security and development in both regions and globally.

PM Chính and President Erdogan acknowledged the significant untapped potential for bilateral economic cooperation. President Erdogan affirmed Türkiye's interest in promoting trade and investment cooperation with Việt Nam, setting a target of reaching a bilateral trade turnover of US$4 billion in the coming period.

He expressed pleasure at the successful investments made by some Turkish corporations in Việt Nam. Additionally, President Erdogan expressed a desire to expand cooperation in areas such as tourism, healthcare, and energy.

President Erdogan affirmed that he would instruct relevant ministries and sectors to actively implement the agreed-upon contents during PM Chính's visit. This includes the early organisation of the 8th Meeting of the Việt Nam-Türkiye Joint Government Committee and the 5th Political Consultation Meeting between the two foreign ministries in the first half of 2024.

PM Chính proposed that Turkey create favourable conditions for Việt Nam's strong export items, such as footwear, agricultural and aquatic products, to penetrate the Turkish retail system. He welcomed Turkish corporations and businesses to invest in areas such as hydrogen development, infrastructure and logistics.

Both leaders also agreed to promote cooperation in other areas such as the development of the Halal industry, tourism, agriculture, education and training, and increased people-to-people exchanges.

On regional and international issues, PM Chính announced that Việt Nam would contribute US$500,000 through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to the people of Palestine in the Gaza Strip.

PM Chính has extended the invitation from General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trong and President Võ Văn Thưởng for President Erdogan to make an official visit to Việt Nam in 2024.

President Erdogan has accepted the invitation with pleasure, expressing a desire to arrange the visit soon. — VNS