Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính meets President of the European Council Charles Michel. VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

VIENTIANE – Việt Nam highly valued cooperative ties with the European Union (EU) and its member states, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính told President of the European Council (EC) Charles Michel at their meeting on Thursday on the sidelines of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Vientiane, Laos.

Both leaders expressed their satisfaction with the robust, intensive and extensive development of the relationship between Việt Nam and the EU, particularly in economy, trade, and investment cooperation since the EU-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) came into effect in 2020.

They agreed to further expand and deepen the bilateral cooperation in line with its potential, increase high-level exchanges and meetings, and remove existing obstacles and barriers to trade and investment, and promote effective cooperation in such emerging areas as digital economy, artificial intelligence, innovation, green transition, and climate change response.

Chính urged the EU to continue encouraging the remaining member states to swiftly ratify the EU-Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and lift the yellow card warning against Việt Nam’s seafood exports.

On this occasion, he expressed heartfelt gratitude to the EU for providing 650,000 EUR in humanitarian aid to help Việt Nam overcome the consequences of the recent Typhoon Yagi.

Hailing Việt Nam as a key partner in the EU’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, Michel affirmed the EU’s commitment to speed up the EVIPA ratification. He also indicated the EU’s positive consideration of lifting the yellow card against Việt Nam’s seafood exports and pledged continued support for Việt Nam’s effective implementation of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) framework.

Regarding global issues, both sides underscored the importance of adhering to international law and the United Nations Charter, and close coordination at global and regional multilateral forums.

Michel expressed the EU's desire to collaborate with Việt Nam and other ASEAN members to further deepen the EU - ASEAN partnership and affirmed its support for ASEAN’s central role and common stance on regional issues, especially the East Sea and Myanmar-related matters.

The two leaders emphasised the importance of ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, settling disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), contributing to peace, stability and common prosperity in the region and the world. – VNS