Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (left) and President of Palau Surangel Whipps Jr. had a meeting on the sidelines of the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France. — VNA/VNS Photo

NICE — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính held a bilateral meeting with President of Palau Surangel Whipps Jr. in Nice, France on June 9 (local time) on the sidelines of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3).

PM Chính affirmed that Việt Nam attaches great importance to its relations with Pacific Island nations, including Palau. He expressed his hope to advance bilateral ties with Palau in a substantive, effective, and comprehensive manner across all areas.

President Whipps held that while the current relationship between the two countries remains modest, it holds significant potential for growth, particularly in trade, investment, aviation connectivity, tourism, and labour cooperation.

Sharing a common approach of having a "long-term vision, deep thinking, and ambitious action" in order to create a breakthrough in bilateral relations, the two sides agreed to instruct relevant agencies of both countries to explore the possibility of negotiating and signing cooperation agreements in areas such as fisheries, labour, and visa exemption for citizens of both nations. These steps aim to facilitate stronger cooperation and enhanced people-to-people exchange, they noted.

The two sides also pledged to strengthen coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums and on issues of shared interest. These include upholding and respecting international law, promoting relations between Việt Nam, ASEAN, and Pacific island nations, and addressing challenges such as climate change, sea level rise, and the sustainable use and protection of marine resources. — VNA/VNS