State President Lương Cường and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda hold talks at the Presidential Palace in Hà Nội on Thursday morning after the welcome ceremony. VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam and Lithuania have agreed to expand cooperation mechanisms and accelerate the implementation of a double taxation avoidance agreement, aiming to remove trade barriers and boost bilateral market access, investment and economic ties.

The consensus was reached on Thursday during talks between State President Lương Cường and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, following the official welcome ceremony for President Nauseda and his wife, who are on an official visit to Việt Nam.

President Cường highlighted that this is the first State-level visit since Việt Nam and Lithuania established diplomatic ties in 1992, calling it a milestone that could pave the way for a deeper and more substantive partnership. He confirmed Việt Nam’s high regard for Lithuania as a traditional and important partner in Europe.

President Nauseda, in turn, expressed admiration for Việt Nam’s significant achievements during its Đổi mới (Renewal) process, and reaffirmed that Việt Nam is one of Lithuania’s top partners in Southeast Asia. He expressed a strong desire to expand the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations.

During the talks, the leaders exchanged views on their respective national developments and discussed major directions and concrete measures to enhance bilateral ties across various sectors.

In terms of political and diplomatic cooperation, the two sides agreed to bolster political trust by enhancing high-level contacts and delegations across all channels, including party, government and people-to-people exchanges. This will serve to foster greater mutual understanding and confidence.

Both leaders have agreed to strengthen economic, trade and investment cooperation as a key pillar of their bilateral relationship, emphasising the untapped potential for boosting two-way trade. They supported the creation of an inter-governmental committee on economic and scientific-technical cooperation, and pledged to effectively implement the EU–Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement to facilitate market access for each other’s goods, providing a gateway to both the EU and ASEAN markets.

They also committed to working closely through relevant ministries, sectors and localities to promote cooperation in specific areas.

Both sides highlighted the strong potential for complementary agricultural trade and collaboration in agricultural processing to enhance food security and sustainable development.

The two leaders also underscored the importance of cooperation in science and technology, particularly in high-tech sectors, digital transformation, information technology, financial technology, artificial intelligence, green transition and renewable energy. These areas were identified as critical to each country’s growth and ripe for bilateral collaboration.

The two sides agreed to step up cooperation in national defence and security, with a focus on combatting crime and ensuring information security. President Cường invited President Nauseda to attend the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention on Cybercrime, scheduled to take place in Hà Nội in October 2025.

Both leaders stressed the importance of strengthening cultural and people-to-people exchanges to foster deeper mutual understanding. They agreed to promote cooperation between localities, including through joint trade, investment and tourism promotion activities.

President Cường acknowledged Lithuania’s early ratification of the EU–Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement, and urged Lithuania to advocate for the remaining EU members to ratify the pact.

He also called for Lithuania’s support in encouraging the European Commission to lift the IUU 'yellow card' on Vietnamese seafood exports.

President Lương Cường and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda witness the signing of a Letter of Intent between the Vietnamese and Lithuanian Ministries of Finance. VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

The leaders agreed to continue close coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums, especially the United Nations and ASEAN–EU cooperation frameworks. Việt Nam welcomed Lithuania’s interest in joining the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, and confirmed support for Lithuania in expanding cooperation with ASEAN. Lithuania, in turn, pledged to support Việt Nam’s deepening engagement with the EU.

President Cường also called on Lithuanian authorities at all levels to continue supporting the Vietnamese community in Lithuania, facilitating their integration into local society.

Regarding regional and international issues of mutual concern, President Cường asked Lithuania to continue backing ASEAN and Việt Nam’s positions on the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea), including peaceful dispute resolution based on international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

At the end of the talks, President Nauseda extended a formal invitation for President Cường to visit Lithuania at a mutually convenient time, which the Vietnamese leader accepted with pleasure.

The two leaders then witnessed the signing of several cooperation agreements between the two countries in the fields of energy, science and technology, agriculture and finance. — VNS