Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali alongside their entourages at Trấn Quốc Pagoda in Hà Nội on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photos Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali, and their spouses enjoyed breakfast and visited Trấn Quốc Pagoda in Hà Nội on Thursday.

PM Chính and his wife invited the Ethiopian guests to enjoy typical dishes of Hà Nội and Việt Nam, while also introducing them to Việt Nam's culinary culture. They then took a leisurely stroll along Thanh Niên Street – one of the most beautiful and poetic roads in the capital city, with West Lake on one side and Trúc Bạch Lake on the other, and visited Trấn Quốc Pagoda.

The Ethiopian PM and his spouse, who are on an official visit to Việt Nam, were given an introduction of Trấn Quốc, a nearly 1,500-year-old pagoda considered the oldest in Hà Nội and also the centre of Buddhism in the capital during the Lý and Trần dynasties.

PM Abiy Ahmed Ali thanked the Party and State leaders and people of Việt Nam for their warm reception for the delegation. He expressed his wish to welcome his hosts, as well as leaders of the Vietnamese Party, State, and Government, to Ethiopia in the near future.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali and their spouses listen to an introduction about the history of Trấn Quốc Pagoda.

During this first visit to Việt Nam by a high-ranking Ethiopian leader since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1976, which is also the first high-level delegation exchange in seven years, Abiy Ahmed Ali held talks and meetings with the top leaders of Việt Nam’s Party, State, Government, and National Assembly.

He also participated in activities within the framework of the 4th Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit.

The two sides agreed to promote bilateral cooperation in the areas matching their countries' strengths and potential. They also agreed to begin negotiations on fundamental agreements to create a favourable legal corridor for economic cooperation. On this occasion, the two sides signed cooperation documents in numerous fields, including education, training, trade, and aviation. — VNA/VNS