Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (left) and Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif met in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

RIYADH — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính affirmed that Việt Nam attaches importance to the friendship and cooperation with Pakistan, at a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the 8th Future Investment Initiative (FII) Summit in Saudi Arabia on October 30.

Việt Nam wishes that the bilateral ties will grow more intensively and pragmatically in the time ahead, particularly in trade, tourism, and people-to-people exchange, Chính said.

He noted that the economic and trade cooperation has remained limited and yet to match the good political relations between the two countries, explaining that with a combined population and market size of 300 million, they hold ample room to boost the bilateral trade.

Chính suggested the two countries open their markets further to each other, stay resolved to advance their relationship and multifaceted cooperation, and organise more business, investment, and tourism forums to foster mutual understanding and get updates on each other’s situation.

On this occasion, the PM conveyed the invitations from Party General Secretary Tô Lâm, President Lương Cường, and National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn to Pakistani leaders to visit Việt Nam. Chính also invited Sharif to visit Việt Nam at an early date.

For his part, Sharif expressed his admiration for Việt Nam, calling it a shining example of the national liberation movement in the past, as well as national construction and development at present.

The Pakistani PM suggested the two countries raise their bilateral trade to US$10 billion in the near future, and expressed his hope to soon welcome Chính and other Vietnamese leaders to Pakistan.

The two leaders shared the vision and determination to elevate the bilateral relations, and agreed to step up delegation exchanges, particularly high-level delegations and those of the two foreign ministers as well as ministers responsible for such fields as information and communications, science and technology, and agriculture.

They also concurred to promote collaboration in emerging realms like digital transformation, green transition, and the circular economy in the time ahead.

The PMs touched upon measures to strengthen cooperation between Việt Nam and Pakistan at international and multilateral forums, for the sake of the two countries’ people, and for peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world at large. — VNS