Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn made several recommendations for Việt Nam – Türkiye ties to grow substantively while talking over the phone with Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan on Monday.

Son affirmed that Türkiye is a leading partner of Việt Nam in the Middle East, and noted with satisfaction the recent progress in bilateral relations, especially since Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính’s official visit to Türkiye in November 2023, with economic cooperation being a bright spot.

Bilateral trade reached US$2.4 billion in 2024, rising 10 per cent from the previous year. Meanwhile, Türkiye remains the largest Middle Eastern investor in Việt Nam, with its investment totalling $1.74 billion last year, surging 75 per cent from 2023, he said.

To ensure increasingly substantive and effective development of bilateral ties, Sơn suggested the two sides work together to carry out cooperation priorities, including upgrading the Việt Nam – Türkiye relationship; promoting mutual visits at all levels, especially high-level ones; coordinating with and supporting each other at international organisations; and improving the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation mechanisms such as the Joint Committee and the Political Consultation.

He also took this occasion to convey PM Chiính’s invitation to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to pay an official visit to Việt Nam and attend the 4th Summit of the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G).

For his part, Fidan stated Türkiye attaches importance to the relationship with Việt Nam – its leading partner in Southeast Asia.

Türkiye is promoting efforts to soon complete the upgrade of ties with Việt Nam in the time ahead, he said, adding it also wishes to enhance cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Highly valuing Việt Nam’s efforts to organise the P4G Summit, the minister expressed his belief that the event will be a success, demonstrating the country’s strong commitment to joining hands with the international community to foster green growth, fight climate change, and develop sustainably. — VNS